Genealogical and personal memoirs relating to the families of the state of Massachusetts, Volume IV, Part 31

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 31

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retical knowledge of his profession by actual experience in the coal mining regions of Penn- sylvania. In 1873 he went to Holyoke, Mas- sachusetts, and at once entered upon his duties as engineer in the service of the Holyoke Water Power Company; and in 1903 he be- came the company's chief engineer. In 1893 he was elected member of the board of coun- ty commissioners of Hampden county, and still serves in that capacity, having been re- elected at the expiration of each succeeding term. Mr. Sickman married, November 19, 1874, Ellen Gallagher, daughter of Patrick and Mary Gallagher, of Woodstock, New Brunswick, and by whom he has six children : I. James F., born Holyoke, October 14, 1875 ; married Catherine McDonnell, of Kalama- zoo, Michigan. 2. John H., born August 25, 1877 ; married Elsie Smith, of Great Barring- ton, Massachusetts, and lives in Bridgeport, Connecticut. 3. Nazie, born August 16, 1879. 4. Guy L., born August 18, 1884; lives in Roanoake Rapids, North Carolina. 5. Mar- tha P., born December 16, 1886. 6. Rachel, born March 5, 1891.

(IV) Albert Franklin Sickman, son of John Henry and Martha (Pomerine) Sick- man, was born in Snowden township, Al- legheny county, Pennsylvania, December IO, 1852, and received his education at the West- ern University at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, class of '78. He worked his own way through college, and after graduating joined an engineering party under charge of his brother and still later became connected with the engineering department of the Holyoke Water Power Company. He has since con- tinued in the service of the company, and since 1902 has filled the responsible position of hy- draulic engineer. Mr. Sickman married, in November, 1878, Mary Elizabeth Gallagher, daughter of Patrick and Mary Gallagher, of Woodstock, New Brunswick. She was born May 6, 1857, and died September 14, 1888, having borne her husband five children: I. Louis F., born January 16, 1880, died in in- fancy. 2. Bertha M., born May 6, 1881 : married June 6, 1906, James H. Bigelow. 3. Lottie E., born March 23, 1883. 4. Albert F .. born January 26, 1885. 5. John Edwin, born January 11, 1887 ; student at Dartmouth, '10.

BAGG It is not known what year the an- cestor of this family emigrated to New England, but the name is found in records about 1650 and very often after that time. Its origin is English, and it is

represented in this country by numerous branches who have descended from the family first described below. Among them have been many soldiers, and they have been well repre- sented in professional and civil lines as well. Members of this family have been ever ready to stand by their principles and to fight for them if need arose.

(I) John Bagg is supposed to have emi- grated from Plymouth, England, and died in Springfield, Massachusetts, September 5, 1683. In 1660 he conveyed lands in the "Second Di- vision," probably on the west bank of the river, to Hugh Dudley, and in 1668 his name is signed to a petition against imposts. In 1678, on the first day of the year, he was one of the citizens to take the oath of allegiance, administered by Major John Pynchon. He married, October 24, 1657, Hannah, daughter of Deacon Henry and Ulalia Burt, born April 28, 1641, died August 1, 1680. Children : Hannah, Mercy, Daniel, John, Daniel, Jona- than, Abigail, James, Sarah and Abilene.

(II) John (2), second son of John (I) and Hannah (Burt) Bagg, was born March 26, 1665, died November, 1740. He married, March 30, 1689, Mercy Thomas, born May 15, 1671 ; children : Mercy, Hannah, Sarah, John, Abigail, James, Thankful, Rachel (born and died in 1706), Rachel, Thomas and Ebenezer.

(III) John (3), eldest son of John (2) and Mercy (Thomas) Bagg, was born April 23, 1696, died January 28, 1776. He married Elizabeth Stockwell, who died June II, 1792, aged eighty-eight, and had five or more chil- dren : John, Elizabeth, Aaron, Sarah and Ebenezer.

(IV) John (4), eldest son of John (3) and Elizabeth (Stockwell) Bagg, was born Octo- ber 8, 1730, died June 13, 1809. He married, June 19, 1755, Rebecca Phelps, born December IO, 1737, died April 18, 1797 ; children : Clara, Aaron, Chloe, Charlotte, Clarissa, Sophia, Or- rel, Helen and Mary Meekins.

(V) Aaron, eldest son of John (4) and Re- becca (Phelps) Bagg, was born September 23, 1757, died August 16, 1839. He was a soldier in the revolutionary war, was disabled by sick- ness at the battle of White Plains, New York, and returned home, where he resumed his oc- cupation of farmer. He married, September 27. 1775, Sarah Miller, who died September 7, 1820, aged sixty-nine, and they had five or more children, as follows: Nancy, Annah, John. Lucy and Laura.

(VI) John (5), only son of Aaron and Sarah ( Miller) Bagg, was born September 29,

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1780, died October 26, 1820. He married, in 1805, Sophronia Woodruff, who died Novem- ber 26, 1843, aged fifty-five. Children: So- phronia, Annah, Aaron (born in 1808 and died in 1809), Aaron, Sarah Miller, John, Sullivan and Lucy Jane.

(VII) Colonel Aaron (2), son of John (5) and Sophronia (Woodruff) Bagg, was born February 6, 1810, died in 1881. When he was ten years old his father died, and his mother and the children were cared for by the grand- father till his death. He received his educa- tion in the public schools and for a short time attended the Monson Academy. When six- teen years of age, he began teaching school and continued for three years, then took charge of his grandfather's farm, where most of his life was spent. He was a member of the state militia and rose to the rank of col- onel, by which title his friends called him. He was twice elected to the general court, and in 1858-59 was a member of the state senate. He was interested in the important enterprises of Springfield and Holyoke, Massachusetts; he was one of the founders of the Parsons Paper Company, and was director and president from its organization until his death. He was also connected with several other paper companies, and various other companies, having been president and director of Hampden Watch Company, and connected with two banks at Springfield. Until the war of the rebellion he was a supporter of the Democratic party, but after that time was a staunch Republican. He married (first) November 17, 1834, Hannah Mather, born September 12, 1819, died Sep- tember 5, 1836; one child, Hannah Mather, born in 1836, and in 1856 married Ethan Brooks. Mr. Bagg married (second) October 16, 1837, Lucy Maria Mather, born June 5, 1820; children : I. Aaron, born June 21, 1839; married Mary Heath. 2. Lucy Maria, June 26, 1842. 3. Rufus Mather, December 20, 1844; married Mary E. Bartholomew. 4. John Sullivan, December 31, 1848; married Louise E. Shevelin. 5. Edward Parsons.

(VIII) Edward Parsons, fourth son of Col- onel Aaron (2) and Lucy Maria (Mather) Bagg, was born August 28, 1855, at West Springfield, Massachusetts. He attended the public schools of that place and Springfield. On leaving school he spent five years in the employ of a bank, and then entered the em- ploy of the Parsons Paper Company as clerk; in 1884 he was made treasurer of this concern and still holds this position. He is a member of the Second Congregational Church

at Holyoke, Massachusetts, and is a Republi- can. He married Eliza C., daughter of Jona- than and Mary (Colt) Parsons, and has four children : I. Edward Parsons Jr., was edu- cated at Yale College and Harvard Medical School. 2. Aaron, graduated from Hamilton College with the class of 1907 and is now asso- ciated with his father, being in the employ of the Parsons Paper Company. 3. John L., at- tended Yale College and Massachusetts Insti- tute of Technology. 4. Robert P., attended Hamilton College.

Charles Loomis, son of Thom- LOOMIS as Loomis, was born Decem- ber 23, 1829. In business he was a mill operative. He married Sarah Aspden, daughter of John Aspden. Children : George Alfred, born February 23, 1853, at Mohawk, New York; James Henry, men- tioned below.

James Henry, second son of Charles Loom- is, was born at Thorndike, Palmer, Massa- chusetts, July 7, 1858. He attended the pub- lic schools of Holyoke until he was nine years old, and afterward at Chicopee, whither the family moved, graduating from the Chicopee Falls high school in the class of 1875. He entered Boston University, where he was graduated with the degree of A. B. in 1879. He began the study of law in the office of Judge Charles L. Long, of Springfield, was admitted to the bar in 1883, and continued in the office of Judge Long until 1889. Since then he has had his office in Chicopee, occu- pying the same office with George M. Stearns until he died in 1893. He has occupied the same offices to the present time, but has had no partner. Mr. Loomis has been prominent in public life. He was a member of the Chi- copee school board from 1884 to 1896; city auditor from 1895 to 1901 ; mayor of the city from 1901 to 1903 ; and is at present associate justice of the police court. In politics he is a Republican. His administration as mayor was one of the most successful in the history of the city.

He is a member of Belcher Lodge of Free Masons; Unity Chapter, Royal Arch. Ma- sons ; of Chicopee Lodge of Odd Fellows ; of Cabot Lodge, Knights of Pythias; of the Hampden County Bar Association ; of the U. S. Bar Association ; and of the Oxford Club. He attends the Methodist church at Chicopee Falls.

He married, November 22, 1892, Ruth Crowther, born at Blackstone, Massachu-

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setts, daughter of Benjamin Crowther, of Chi- copee Falls, Massachusetts. Children: I. George Perkins, born at Chicopee, June II, 1894. 2. James Henry, Jr., born March 7, 1897.

BELL Edward H. Bell, father of Clinton E. Bell, was born at Southampton, Massachusetts, 1847. Later he removed to Northampton, where he engaged in the dry goods business, becoming a pros- perous merchant, and retiring from active pursuits in 1899, since which time he has re- sided at the Tree Hill Farm at Southampton. He was a man of sound judgment and un- questioned integrity, and was held in high es- teem by his neighbors and business asso- ciates. He married Josephine, daughter of Wharton and Mary (Lyman) Searl, of South- ampton. Children: I. Clinton E., see for- ward. 2. Edith Josephine; married Rev. Frederick R. Griffin, at the present time (1909) pastor of a Unitarian Church at Mon - treal, Canada ; children ; Cynthia and Freder- ick Griffin.

(II) Clinton E., only son of Edward H. and Josephine (Searl) Bell, was born at Southampton, Massachusetts, June 8, 1872. He removed with his parents to Northamp- ton, where he attended the public schools, af- ter which he prepared for college under Pro- fessor Isaac Bridman, of Northampton. He was graduated from Amherst College in 1895, Columbia Law School 1898, and practiced law in New York for three years, during which time was associated with the law firm of Eaton & Lewis. He still has business in- terests in New York, although he removed to Springfield, Massachusetts, 1901, where he has a large practice. Mr. Bell is well known professionally and socially in Springfield; is a member of the Nayasset Club and Country Club, attends the North Congregational Church, and is a Republican in politics. He married, February 14, 1900, Charlotte, daugh- ter of Rev. George N. and Caroline (Ladd) Webber. They have one child, Lucie McMil- lan, born December 7, 1901.

Rev. Dr. George N. Webber, father of Mrs. Clinton E. Bell, was born in Pomfret, Con- necticut, August 27, 1826, died at Spring- field, Massachusetts, December 20, 1907, son of Ariel and Lucine (Holmes) Webber, and a descendant on the paternal side of Dutch an- cestors, they having come to this country from the Hague. He graduated from Am- herst College with the class of 1852, and

from Andover Theological Seminary two years later. After leaving Andover he re- turned to Amherst, where he taught one year. His first pastorate was in St. Johns- bury, Vermont, where he settled in Decem- ber, 1855. In November, 1859, he was called to the North Church of Hartford, Connecti- cut, now called the Park Church, and he re- mained there until June, 1862, when he en- listed as chaplain of the First Connecticut Regiment, with which he served three months. His next pastorate was over the First Congregational Church of Lowell, where he was situated in 1867, when he was elected to the chair of Moral and Mental Sci- ence in Middlebury College, where he served until 1874, when he was called to the pastor- ate of the First Presbyterian Church of Troy, New York, and it was there that he was in the prime of his physical and mental powers. He became widely known in Troy and that section of New York state as an able preach- er and vital force. During his professorship at Middlebury he was given the decree of Doctor of Divinity by Amherst. In the early days of Smith College, Dr. Webber was called there as lecturer on Mental Philosophy and Ethics, and continued this connection un- til the early nineties, when he retired to pri- vate life, residing in Northampton, Massa- chusetts. He was well known to all the older alumnae of Smith College, his long residence in that city having brought him into a wide circle of acquaintance and friends, by whom he was respected and loved.

Rev. Dr. Webber married (first) May, 1858, Charlotte, daughter of Thaddeus Fairbanks, of St. Johnsbury, Vermont. He married (sec- ond) 1871, Caroline K., daughter of Rev. Daniel Ladd, of Middlebury, Connecticut.

The Hobert family proposed to HOBERT be briefly treated in this place came into this state within a comparatively recent period, and springs di- rectly from the family of the same name which for several and probably many genera- tions has been seated in county Kerry, Ireland. The surname of the family under considera- tion here appears to have been written Hobert throughout the several generations of which we have authentic knowledge, but at the same time there is ample ground for the belief that the Hoberts and Hobarts of Ireland are of the same ancestral family, and that both names are derived from the an- cient English family of Hubbard, and

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are among the numerous modifications of that familiar patronymic in both Eng- land and America, and is itself traced remote- ly to the time of the Norman conquest, al- though a derivative of a surname quite as un- like Hubbard as either Hobert or Hobart ap- pear to be. Antiquarians and other students of the origin and signification of our English surnames are of the opinion that Hobert, like Hobart, is a broad variation of Hubbard, and the researches of quite recent investigators seem to confirm the belief.

(I) James Hobert, earliest known ancestor of the family now under consideration, was born and spent his life in county Kerry, Ire- land. The tradition is that he was a husband- man, a tiller of the soil, but other than this little appears to be known of him. He mar- ried Mary Hennessey, and she bore him four children, Patrick, John, James and Margaret.

(II) Patrick, son of James and Mary (Hen- nessey ) Hobert, was born in county Kerry, Ireland, about 1825, and still lives there, at the advanced age of almost eighty-five years. He married Catherine Hennessey, and she bore him seven children, Margaret, Patrick, Mary, Johanna, James P., John and Chatterton.

(III) James P., son of Patrick and Cath- erine (Hennessey) Hobert, was born in coun- ty Kerry, Ireland, December 25, 1868, and was a young man just of full age when he came to this country (1889), settled in Holyoke, Mas- sachusetts, and began working in Connell's brickyard at South Hadley Falls. He was an industrious and faithful employee, of temper- ate and saving habits, hence after four years he was able to start out for himself as proprie- tor of an undertaking establishment and busi- ness in Holyoke, which he has since continued with gratifying success. For several years also he has been agent in Holyoke for several trans-Atlantic steamship company lines, among the more important of which may be mentioned the Allan, Anchor, American, At- lantic Transportation and the Cunard lines. He is a member and past chief officer of the American Order of Foresters, a member of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, Knights of Columbus and of the Emmet Club, all of Hol- yoke. He married, June 21, 1898, Libbie Gro- gan, born in Holyoke, daughter of Thomas and Mary Grogan, both natives of county Kerry, Ireland. Mr. and Mrs. Hobert have two children, Viola and Jerome Hobert, both born in Holyoke.

This family traces its Ameri- SAFFORD can ancestry from Thomas Safford, the immigrant to Ipswich, Massachusetts Colony, through a long line prominent in the formation and ad- vancement of the growth of the American colonies. From the English ancestral rec- ords we find that the surname occurs fre- quently in the early part of the thirteenth century and appears to be of Saxon deriva- tion. The name appears in the inscription en- graved on the seal of an ancient town on the English coast, and reads as follows: "Sigil- lum Burgensium de Saffordia". It also ap- pears among the lists of immigrants who came from England to the Colony of Virginia be- tween 1613 and 1623.

(I) James Safford, the first of the line herein treated of whom we have definite in- formation, was born in the state of New York, died aged about thirty years. During early manhood he came to Brimfield, Massachu- setts. He married Eunice, daughter of Reu- ben and Abigail (Morgan) Townsley, and among their children was Reuben Towns- ley, mentioned below. Eunice (Townsley) Safford married (second) Walter Upham. Reuben Townsley, father of Eunice (Towns- ley) Safford, was born March 6, 1747, died August, 1828 ; he was son of Reuben and Sarah (Blodgett) Townsley, and grandson of Michael Townsley, an original proprietor of Brimfield, who came to this country as a licensed ex- horter or preacher, and married Hannah Steb- bins, February 20, 1712-13. Reuben Towns- ley Sr. served in the revolution; he married, August 6, 1741, Sarah Blodgett.

(II) Reuben Townsley, son of James Saf- ford, was born in Brimfield, Massachusetts, and later removed to Springfield. He mar- ried Delia Stebbins, daughter of John and Hannah (Bliss) Stebbins. Children : I. Henry. 2. Fanny, married Ersline Allen. 3. Clara, un- married. 4. James DeForest, mentioned below. Delia (Stebbins) Safford traces her ancestry on the paternal side to Rowland and Sarah Stebbins, the immigrant ancestors, and through them to Thomas and Hannah (Wright) Stebbins, Edward and Sarah (Graves) Stebbins, Thomas and Mary (Ely) Stebbins, Caleb and Elizabeth (Warriner ) Stebbins, Caleb and Mehitable (Chapin) Steb- bins, John and Hannah (Bliss) Stebbins.

(III) James DeForest, son of Reuben Townsley Safford, was born in Springfield, Massachusetts, August 2, 1841, died in Au- gust, 1896. He was a prominent citizen of

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Springfield, a leader in financial and banking circles, and served as president of the City Na- tional Bank of Springfield and of five different manufacturing concerns. He married May Cooper Kirkham, born October 5, 1855, daughter of General Ralph W. and Maria Cooper (Mix) Kirkham. Children: I. Ralph Kirkham, mentioned below. 2. Leila Steb- bins, born August II, 1884. 3. Gladys Marie, born July 16, 1889.

(IV) Ralph Kirkham, son of James De- Forest Safford, was born in Springfield, Mas- sachusetts, November 18, 1880. He prepared for college at St. Paul's School, Concord, New Hampshire, and graduated at Harvard College in 1903. He was employed for a time with the Chapman Valve Company and also with his father in the City National Bank. He en- gaged in business as a broker and banker at 321 Main street, Springfield, where he was loacted as assistant manager for three years. In January, 1907, he was made manager of the banking house of Darr & Moore at No. 274 Main street, Springfield. He is a director of the Chapman Valve Company, the Green- field Gas Light Company, the German Ameri- can Company at Spray, North Carolina. He is a member of Christ Episcopal Church of Spring- field, the Nayassett, Country and Automobile clubs of Springfield, the Harvard Club of New York, the Corinthian Club of Marblehead, and the Aztec Club of 1847. He married, Octo- ber 10, 1907, Lillian Upson, born April 19, 1881, daughter of Lyman Allen and Emma (Douglass) Upson, of Thompsonville, Con- necticut. They are the parents of one child, Ralph Kirkham Jr., born July 18, 1908.

WILSON Silas Curtis Wilson was proba- bly a descendant of Gowen Wilson, who settled at Hing- ham, Massachusetts, before 1641. He was born August 13, 1841, at Berwick, Maine, and received his education in the public schools of his native town. With the excep- tion of a short time during which he lived in Boston, he lived in South Wakefield, New Hampshire, and carried on a farm. In his carly manhood he taught school for a time. He married (first ) Sarah E. Sibley, and after her death married again. Children, all by first wife : I. Norris Sibley, born August 17, 1868; mentioned below. 2. Grace, born March 2, 1872: married Walter Twiss. 3. Edith, born May 9, 1879; died in Boston, De- cember 5, 1882.

(II) Norris Sibley, son of Silas Curtis Wil-

son, was born in Boston, August 17, 1868. He received his education in the schools of his native city. He began to work in early youth and his later schooling was obtained in the night schools of Boston and by private study. He was salesman for various Boston firms. He entered the employ of the American Lin- seed Oil Company and was promoted from time to time until he became head of the concern. Mr. Wilson is a typical selfmade man, starting in life with no capital or other advantages over his fellow-workers. His in- dustry, perseverance and application made him a master of the details of the business, at the same time making him of great value to his employers. His executive ability, fore- sight and acumen in business problems have made him a prominent figure in the commer- cial world. In politics he is a Republican, though he has never been active in politics in his life. He is a member of the Advent Church. He married Lucy A. Peck, born September 12, 1864, at Bear River, Nova Scotia, daughter of Joshua Peck, a prominent and wealthy farmer. Joshua Peck was born in 1832, married Zebudah Rice, born 1840, at Bear River, died September, 1875; children : i. Alice Burna Peck, born January 13, 1861, married Edgar Mckay of South Boston ; ii. Clara Etta Peck, born 1862; iii. Lucy A. Peck, born September 12, 1864, married Nor- ris Sibley Wilson, mentioned above; iv. Jo- seph O. Peck, born 1866, married Harriet Buffum ;. Levi Joshua Peck, born 1869; vi. Meriam Peck ; vii. Enoch Peck.

Children of Norris Sibley and Lucy A. (Peck) Wilson: I. Clarence Thornton, born December 22, 1888. 2. Stanley Livingstone, December 27, 1890. 3. Ruth Zebudah, Feb- ruary 16, 1892; died aged six months. 4. Chester Burnham, born August 10, 1894. 5. Helen Norris, July 18. 1895. 6. Malcolm Curtis, November 4, 1897. 7. Alice Sibley, October 7, 1899. 8. Edith May, February 21, 1000. 9. Harold, July 7, 1902. IO. Warren Hobbs, September 10, 1905.

ROOD Charles Henry Rood, son of Charles Rood, was born in Wil- liamsville, Windham county, Ver- mont, October 7, 1843. He attended the pub- lic schools of his native town until old enough to be apprenticed to the trade of stone and marble cutter. He also was clerk in a country store. He worked at his trade as a marble cut- ter in Woodstock and Bennington, Vermont, and then removed to Ware, Massachusetts, and

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there found work in the mills of Otis & Com- pany as overseer. In 1898 he left the employ of the Otis Company and purchased the gen- eral store of F. P. Clark, one of the largest stores in the town of Ware. As a citizen of Ware he became conspicuous for his good works in the Methodist church and Sunday school as a teacher, class leader and church member. His political party was the Republi- can, but he held no office or allowed his name to go before the public as a candidate for of- fice. He married (first) a Miss Huse, by whom he had no children. He married (sec- ond) a Miss Huse, by whom he had one child, William B. Rood, who married May Shaw, of Wisconsin. He married (third) Sarah L., daughter of Daniel C. and Lovisa Hartshorn Spear, of West Brookfield, Massachusetts. Sarah L. Spear married (first) in 1861, Wil- liam Eno Nichols, of West Brookfield, Massa- chusetts, born December 4, 1836, died in Ware, Massachusetts, November 12, 1881 ; she had five children : Justin D. Nichols, born in Ware, Massachusetts, in 1862, married and had no children. Ellen F. Nichols, born in Munson, Massachusetts, February 26, 1865, married Eliot Barnes, of Ware, Massachu- setts. Alice Nichols, born in Ware, Massa- chusetts, November 19, 1869, married William Harrison, of Ware, Massachusetts, and had three children. William E. Nichols, born in Belchertown, Massachusetts, December 13, 1872, lived in Warren, Massachusetts, where he carried on the business of jeweler and had two children. Charles S. Nichols, born in Ware, October 2, 1880, died there in 1881. William Eno Nichols was a farmer, lumber- man and dealer in real estate in Ware, Massa- chusetts.

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Genealogical and personal memoirs relating to the families of the state of Massachusetts, Volume IV, Part 31

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