USA > Massachusetts > Genealogical and personal memoirs relating to the families of the state of Massachusetts, Volume IV > Part 34
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He married, August 2, 1882, Lizzie Abbott, born May 3, 1863, at Prescott, Massachusetts, daughter of John and Jane (Vaughan) Ab- bott. (See Abbott, VII). Children : I. Harry, born September 10, 1883, graduate of Ware High school, now associated with his father. 2. Earle, born in 1901 ; died 1902.
(The Graves Line).
(III) Nathaniel Graves, son of John Graves, grandson of Thomas Graves (q. v.), was born at Hatfield, June 10, 1671, and died about 1757. He resided in Hatfield, and mar- ried, April 30, 1702, Rebecca, born April 16, 1683, daughter of John Allis. Children : I. Rebecca, born October 25, 1703. 2. Mary, February 22, 1706; married Isaac Graves. 3. Nathaniel, November 16, 1707. 4. Ruth, Au- gust 16, 1709. 5. Eleazer, December 12, 17II; mentioned below. 6. Israel, June 23, 1716. 7. Martha, October 29, 1718; married, December 6, 1739, Eleazer Cowles, of Hatfield.
8. Oliver, August 6, 1725.
(IV) Eleazer, son of Nathaniel Graves, was born in Hatfield, December 12, 1711, and
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died September 24, 1756. He married, Oc- tober I, 1736, Sarah Belding, died September 26, 1766, daughter of Samuel Belding, of Hat- field. He removed about 1745 to Athol, Mas- sachusetts, where he became a leading citizen. Children, born at Hatfield: I. Samuel, Octo- ber 12, 1737. 2. Mary, October 12, 1737. 2. Mary, October 14, 1739. 3. Sarah, February 20, 1742 ; died January 31, 1772. 4. Lucy, born April 10, 1744. Born at Athol: 5. Eleazer, 1746; died young. 6. Abner, 1748; mentioned below. 7. Lois, February 2, 1755; married, August 30, 1804, Captain Lucius Al- lis, of Conway, Massachusetts. 8. Eleazer, January 14, 1759. 9. Elijah, 1762 ; died Au- gust 6, 1773.
(V) Lieutenant Abner, son of Eleazer Graves, was born in Athol, in 1748, and died March 26, 1830. He resided at Athol, and served in the revolution; he was lieutenant in Captain Ichabod Dexter's company of minute- men, Colonel Doolittle's regiment, April, 1775; also lieutenant of Ninth company, Col- onel Wesson's regiment, Continental army. He married, February 12, 1768, Alice Richardson, of Royalston, who died October 3, 1824. Chil- dren: I. Lucinda, born October 30, 1769; married, November 5, 1787, Freeborne Ray- mond. 2. Hannah, born May 27, 1770; mar- ried, October 3, 1793, Aaron Lord, of Athol. 3. Alice, born October 18, 1772; married, No- vember 9, 1806, Jonathan Orcutt, of Temple- ton. 4. Susa, born October 28, 1775; mar- ried, October 24, 1799, Jonathan Newhall. 5. Abner, born July 8, 1780; married, June 12, 1806, Dolly Smith. 6. Azubah, born Septem- ber 2, 1784 ; married, November 5, 1807, Rev. William B. Wesson, of Hardwick. (See Wesson, VI).
ABBOTT George Abbott (not of An- dover), immigrant ancestor, was probably born in England, and died in Rowley, Massachusetts, in 1647. He was one of the first settlers of Rowley, coming from England there in 1642. He deed- ed most of his estate to his eldest son Thomas before his death. He had two acres granted him for a house lot, and had other land. He was one of the thirty contributors towards buying land of the Rogers Company in Rowley. Ile had four sons, two named Thomas, one being called "senior," the other "junior." This practice was somewhat com- mon in England at that time, but seems to have confused the genealogist of the family, who concludes the younger was adopted. The
younger Thomas was apprenticed to John Boynton, and at the death of his father, Humphrey Reynor and George Mighill were appointed as guardians of the minor sons, George, Nehemiah, and Thomas. The elder Thomas had received land from his father, being the eldest son, and was doubtless of age at the time of his father's death. Mark Simons was executor of the estate, and George Abbott's will is referred by the gen- eral court to the Salem court, November II, 1647, though no will has been found. Chil- dren : I. Thomas, Sr. ; received land from his father by deed of gift ; died September, 1659; married, July 13, 1655, Dorothy Swan; re- sided at Rowley; bequeaths to his brothers George, Nehemiah and Thomas, in a nun- cupative will dated August 31, 1659. 2. George, mentioned below. 3. Nehemiah. 4. Thomas, Jr.
(II) George (2), son of George (1) Abbott, was born in England, about 1631, and came to New England with his father about 1642, and lived at Rowley for about fourteen years. In 1655 he settled in that part of An- dover afterwards North Andover, but now Andover Center. He was a tailor and hus- bandman, and was one of the five wealthiest men in the town. He was a member of Ser- geant James Osgood's military company, and previously of Sergeant Stevens' company. He was admitted freeman May 19, 1669, and elected constable June 3, 1680. For many years he had charge of the North meeting house at Andover. He had land granted him and his first house was probably on the site occupied by the house of John Bannon in 1900. He died intestate March 22, 1688-9, aged about fifty-eight years. He married, in Ipswich, April 26, 1658, Sarah, daughter of Ralph and Alice Farnum, who came from England in 1635. She married (second) A :- gust 1, 1689, Sergeant Henry Ingalls, and died in 1728, aged ninety. Children: I. George, born January 28, 1658-9; mentioned below. 2. Sarah, born September 6, 1660; died November 6, 1723 ; married, October 19, 1681, John Faulkner. 3. John, born August 26, 1662. 4. Mary, born March 20, 1664-5; married, May 13, 1687, Lieutenant Stephen Barker. 5. Nehemiah, born July 20, 1667. 6. Hannah, born September 22, 1668; married, April 16, 1695, James Ingalls. 7. Mchitable, born February 17, 1671 ; died young. 8. Lydia, born March 31, 1675 ; died March IT, 1739; married, November 28, 1695, Ensign Henry Chandler. 9. Samuel, born May 30,
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-
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1678. 10. Mehitable, born April 4, 1680; died March 28, 1757 ; married, June II, 1701, Gershom Cutter.
(III) George (3), son of George (2) Ab- bott, was born January 28, 1658-9, in Andov- er, and resided there. He was a farmer and shoemaker. His father gave him sixteen acres of upland on which he built his house, probably opposite his father's. The vacant site is now probably a part of the Kittredge estate. He died January 24, aged sixty-five years. His will was dated October 1, 1724, and proved December 7, 1724, his son Urish being executor. He married (first) Septem- ber 13, 1689, Elizabeth Ballard, died May 6, 1706, daughter of Joseph and Elizabeth (Phelps) Ballard and granddaughter of Wil- liam Ballard, a pioneer settler of Andover. He married (second) July 21, 1707, Hannah Estey, born in Topsfield, 1667, died Novem- ber 5, 1741, daughter of Isaac and Mary (Towne) Estey, and granddaughter of Jef- frey Estey, of Salem, in 1636. Her mother, Mary Estey, was executed in Salem for witch- craft September 22, 1692, a "woman of sound judgment and exalted Christian character." Children, all by first wife: I. George, born July 28, 1691. 2. Uriah, November 20, 1692. 3. Captain Jacob, March 19, 1694; died April 22, 1771 ; married, May 1, 1722, Ruth Foster. 4. Elizabeth, born November 5, 1695; died December 1, 1715; married, November 25, 1714, Deacon David Foster. 5. Obed, born March 16, 1696-7; mentioned below. 6. Moses, born February 14, 1698. 7. Peter, July 27, 1701. 8. Sarah, March 17, 1702-3; married, September 6, 1728, Deacon Com- fort Barnes. 9. Hannah, born April 16, 1706; married, August 30, 1727, David Gil- bert.
(IV) Obed, son of George (3) Abbott, was born March 16, 1696-07, in Andover. He lived on the Salem road, probably in Salem, on land bought of his father. He was a farm- er and weaver. On January 13, 1721, he bought land in Billerica and removed there. He resided in that part of Billerica which is now Bedford. He was fence viewer 1729-30- 31-50; tythingman 1732-38; constable 1733; highway surveyor 1735-39-42-56-58; modera- tor 1739-46-49-50-52-56-68-71 ; selectman 1739; grand juror 1745; town treasurer 1746- 47-48-49-50-56; assessor 1749; deer reeve 1754; warden 1761; school committee many years, and also on other committees of im- portance. That he was a man of tact and ready wit is shown by the following occur- iv-33
ence. It is said that when Rev. Mr. Penne- man was ordained there was some objection to one of the men sitting in the council. The ministers assembled wrangled concerning this point until the people feared there would be no ordination. Mr. Abbott called for the in- gredients, and made a fine punch. He carried it to the council chamber, and said that they had been laboring long and doubtless needed refreshment, and hoped they would receive it kindly, and if, perchance, they should discover a fly or mote in the punch, they would care- fully remove it without spilling the punch or - breaking the bowl. The gentlemen drank the punch and took the hint, and the ordination was accomplished speedily. He married, in Salem, February 1, 1721-22, Elizabeth Tar- bell, born March 22, 1693-94, died May 29, 1752, daughter of John and Mary Tarbell. He died in Bedford, May II, 1773, aged seventy- six years. His will was dated January 4, 1758 and proved January 8, 1773. Children : I. Jonathan, born in Salem, April 1, 1723 ; men- tioned below. 2. Elizabeth, born in Salem, February 5, 1724-25 ; died young. 3. Moses, born in Bedford, January 13, 1727-28. 4. Sarah, born in Bedford, April 22, 1729; died January 9, 1815; married, February II, 1747- 48, Hon. Isaac Stearns. 5. Elizabeth, born March 16, 1751 ; died April 12, 1773 ; married, December 9, 1756, Lieutenant Abijah Cutler. 6. John, born February 4, 1732-33 ; in the rev- olution. 7. Mary, born February 16, 1734- 35; married, August 4, 1774, Daniel Parker.
(V) Ensign Jonathan, son of Obed Abbott, was born in Salem, April 1, 1723, and died January 26, 1805, aged eighty-one. He lived in West Brookfield, on the main road to New Braintree, on the last farm in Brookfield, and was quite a large land owner in New Brain- tree, Warren and West Brookfield. He
is called "gent" and lieutenant in the records. He was ensign in Captain Aaron Rice's com- pany, Colonel Brown's regiment, on the Crown Point expedition in 1755; was probably also in his uncle Captain Jacob Abbott's company as clerk in expedition to Fort William Henry in 1757. He served in the revolution in Captain Asa Danforth's company, which marched from Brookfield in 1777 to join General Gates' army, and was at the battle of Saratoga. He was constable in Brookfield in 1774. His will was dated January 23. 1805, and his estate was inventoried August 13, 1805, at $2,244.75. Children, born in West Brookfield: I. John, 1762 ; mentioned below. 2. Mary, March 12. 1764; married, February 1, 1784, Ebenezer
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Bartlett. 3. David, January 14, 1766. 4. Jonathan, March 23, 1768. 5. Moses, Novem- ber 2, 1770.
(VI) John, son of Ensign Jonathan Ab- bott, was born in West Brookfield, August 23, 1762, and died in Ohio, November 20, 1818 (?), aged fifty-six years. He was a farmer, and lived in the homestead in West Brookfield, and was collector of taxes in Brookfield in 1789. He was in the revolution, in Captain Joseph Boynton's company, Col- onel Wood's regiment; served from July 25, 1778 to January 1, 1779, and was in North Kingston, and twice in East Greenwich, Rhode Island. He married, September 17, 1789, Anna Nichols, born August 27, 1760, daughter of James Nichols, of West Brook- field. Children, born in West Brookfield : I. James, July 29, 1790. 2. Elizabeth, March 21, 1792; died April 29, 1868; married Dr. Alvah Annis. 3. Sophia, February 22, 1794; married May 17, 1818, Calvin Stowe. 4. Jonathan, December 17, 1795; died October 14, 1796. 5. Martha, December 7, 1797; married, February 23, 1824, Ridley Bannister. 6. Pamelia, October 20, 1779; died February 5, 1866; married, 1820, Hon, Bonum Nye. 7. George, October 19, 1802; mentioned below. 8. Mary, March 30, 1806; died July 28, 1842 ; married Norman Baker.
(VII) George, son of John Abbott, was born in West Brookfield, October 19, 1802, and died August 13, 1887, at Prescott, Massa- chusetts. He was a farmer, and bought the homestead at West Brookfield, conditionally, of his brother James. He removed in 1832 to Prescott, where he died. He married, in 1832, Hannah Harwood, born 1796, in Shutesbury, died November 28, 1870, daughter of Jacob and Lydia (Tailor) Harwood, of New Salem. Children : I. John, born May 13, 1833; men- tioned below. 2. Sophia Stone, born Septem- ber 6, 1834; died July 24, 1853. 3. Charles, born 1836; died 1837. 4. Mary Harwood, born May 6, 1838. 5. Charles James, Septem- ber 15, 1839.
(VIII) John (2), son of George Abbott, was born in Prescott, Massachusetts, May 13, 1833, and died in Ware, December 23, 1896. He served four years in the civil war. He married, in September, 1831, Mary Jane Vaughn, born 1837, died 1902. He resided in Ware, Massachusetts. Children : I. Nettie, married Lucius Harris, of East Brookfield. 2. Sophia, married Myron Pierce. 3. Eoline, married Munroe Hartshorn, of Orange. 4. Wilfrod, died unmarried. 5. Martha, mar- ried William Tobin, of Ware. 6. Lizzie, born
May 3, 1863, married George C. Wesson. (See Wesson, VIII). 7. Elmer, died young. 8. Henry, married Kate Sullivan. 9. Frederick, married Minnie Harrington. 10. Lilla, mar- ried Frank Allen, of Ware.
The real germ of a human
RUSSELL stock is undiscoverable, though, as expressed in the family, like Tennyson's brook, "it goes on forever." Through change of habitation came the change of name. Some families now common here have been traced in a connected line to the plains of Lombardy ; others to the fastnesses of Scandinavia. The flow of emigration in continental Europe in the Middle Ages was from the north, the south and the east, concentrating in the allu- vial valleys of the Seine, the Rhone, the Rhine and the Danube. Transferred to Eng- land in 1060 this stock was reinforced by the Anglo-Saxons. The present family began with a line of preachers, but it drifted into other walks, and within the memory of men now living it was an important factor in the introduction of railroads in western Massa- chusetts and concerned in their management. Following its peregrinations from Cam- brige, thence to Connecticut where it helped found Wethersfield, then to the banks of the Connecticut river where it founded Hadley, Massachusetts, returning to its own again, it remained for a time in the state of "nut- megs and steady habits," coming back to the Connecticut valley to the splendid city of Springfield.
(I) We begin this statistical history with John Russell, who was born in England in 1595, was a widower with two sons, and came to Cambridge, Massachusetts, in 1636. He was a glazier. He was made a freeman in 1636, town clerk in 1645, constable in 1648, and removed to Wethersfield, Con- necticut, the same year. He occupied the homestead of his second wife's deceased hus- band. The Sergeant John Strickland house was given to a John Russell by the town, and was either he or his son. He had a bitter church controverssy over doctrinal points with the Rev. Henry Smith and a portion of his flock, during which Smith died. He re- moved to Hadley, Massachusetts, and died there May 8, 1680. He married, in Wethers- field, Dorothy, widow of his late enemy, Rev. Mr. Smith. Children by first marriage : John, and Philip, who married the daughter of his step-mother.
(II) Rev. John (2), eldest son of John (I)
--
----
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Russell, was born in the British Isle, and died in Hadley, Massachusetts, December IO, 1692. He came to New England with his father, graduated from Harvard College in 1645, there having been but thirteen previous graduates. At Wethersfield he succeeded the Rev. Henry Smith as pastor, him whom he and his father quarrelled with. This religious dissension led to his removal to Massachu- setts, taking with him the "withdrawers,' where he founded the town of Hadley, then called Norwottuck, one of the first towns to be settled in the Connecticut valley. He was the founder of the church there, the oldest in the Connecticut valley, and his salary was eighty pounds per annum. He cut his own firewood, and drew the same up by handsled. He had a town lot of eight acres, thirty-two acres of tillage, and his tax-rate was fifteen shillings and five pence. Although he left Wethersfield in a religious disturbance, he appears to have got along well in Hadley, ex- cept he alienated some of his supporters in the Hopkins school measure, which was a very worthy cause. This school is among the grand deeds of his useful and eventful life. He fought for it when others who did not value education opposed it. It exists to-day, and is one of the most endurable monuments of Parson Russell. Its pupils have numbered Professor William D. Whitney, of Yale, President L. Clark Seelye, of Amherst, Em- ma Ballard, the wife of Henry Ward Beech- er, and General Joseph Hooker. Mr. Russell preached the election sermon in Boston in May, 1665, from Psalms CXXII-6. He con- cealed in his cellar the regicides judges Goffe, Whalley and Dixwell, who were of the sixty- seven to condemn Charles I. to the scaffold. He considered them friends of civil liberty. Goffe and Whalley died in Hadley, and were buried in the Russell cellar and their bones have. since been discovered there. Parson Russell had decision of character, and was constant in his friendships, as is seen in the case of the regicides. His estate inventoried one hundred and six pounds, and among the items were three negroes valued at sixty pounds. He is buried at Hadley, and on his tablet is this inscription : "Reverend Russell's remains, who first gathered & for 33 years faithfully governed the flock of Christ in Hadley, til the Chief Shepherd suddenly called him off to receive his reward in his 66th year of his age, December 10, 1692. Rebekah, made by God a meet help to Mr. John Russell & fellow-laborer in Christ's
work: a wise, virtuous, pious mother in Is- rael lyes here in full assurance of a joyful resurrection. She died in her 56th year of her age, November 21, 1628." Mr. Russell married (first) January, 1649, Mary, daughter of worshipful John and Dorothy (Moot) Tal- cott, of Hartford. He married (second) Reb- ekah, daughter of Thomas Newbury. He married (third) Phebe, daughter of Thomas Gregson and widow of Rev. John Whitney. Children : John, Jonathan, Samuel, referred to hereafter ; Eleazer and Daniel.
(III) Rev. Samuel, third son of Rev. John (2) and Rebekah (Newbury) Russell, was born in Hadley, November 4, 1668, died in Branford, Connecticut, June 15, 1731. He graduated from Harvard College in 1681. It is said that history repeats itself ; family his- tory surely does, and Samuel was ordained as a preacher of the gospel at Deerfield, Massachusetts, in March, 1687. He had pre- viously been a teacher at the Hopkins school, which had been the solicitude of his reverend father. He owned in Deerfield a house-lot which he sold to William Arms. In 1687 he settled at Branford, near New Haven. He married Abigail, daughter of Rev. John Whitney, and a sister to his step-mother, he and his father marrying sisters. Children : John, Abigail, Samuel, Timothy, Daniel, Jonathan, Ebenezer, hereafter noted.
(IV) Ebenezer, youngest son of Rev. Sam- uel and Abigail (Whitney) Russell, was born probably in Branford, May 4, 1703, and lived in Windsor, Connecticut. We do not know the name of his wife. He had children: I. Ellis, born about 1725. 2. Susannah, March 14, 1736. 3. Anna, October 26, 1739. 4- Ebenezer, referred to later. 5. Hannah, March 16, 1745. 6. Jonathan, May 1, 1748. 7. Lucy, July 30, 1749. 8. Jerusha, June 21, 1751. 9. John, August 27, 1755.
(V) Ebenezer (2), son of Ebenezer (I) Russell, was born in Windsor, in 1740, and had several children. His son is the subject of the next paragraph.
(VI) Wyllis, son of Ebenezer (2) Russell, was born in Windsor, died in Ellington, Con- necticut, after 1847. He was a representative to the general court in 1806-08-11-12. His son is the subject of the next paragraph.
(VII) Stephen Otis, son of Wyllis Russell, was born in East Hartford, Connecticut, De- cember 13, 1793, died in Ellington, November 26, 1857. He removed to Springfield, Massa- chusetts, engaged in the hotel business and was landlord of the Franklin, Eagle and Rock-
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ingham hotels. He held the office of constable from 1827 to 1846, inclusive, was a selectman, member of the school committee in 1830, and tax collector from 1831 to 1838. He was highway surveyor in the years 1837-38-39-40- 4I, and it was while serving in this office that the road from Cabotville to Round Hill was built. He took a great interest in beautifying the town, and set out a row of trees on State street in front of Benton lawn. He was one of the active promoters in the beginning of the Boston & Albany Railroad, and secured subscriptions of stock at a time when the con- fidence of the public in the enterprise was at a low ebb, and it took much persuasion on his part to induce men to invest their money. It was with this road that three of his sons were afterward closely identified. The name of his wife was Mary McCrae. Children : I. William H., who was chief engineer on the Boston & Albany. 2. Charles Otis, referred to hereafter. 3. James, a conductor on the Boston & Albany. 4. George, who went to Cleveland, also two daughters.
(VIII) Charles Otis, second son of Stephen Otis and Mary (McCrae) Russell, was born in Ellington, August 30, 1824, died in Spring- field, January 8, 1895. Early in life he came to that city with his father. His opportunities for education were meager, and he studied by himself to be informed on the great questions of the day. His first employment was in a drug store in a subordinate position, and later in a general store. He began his long railroad career as a surveyor, carrying the chain. In 1845 he went to the office of the Western road as a clerk, and soon made paymaster. In 1858 he was made assistant superintendent under Henry Grey, and in 1867 promoted to be su- perintendent. When the consolidation of the Western road occurred in 1868, he held the same position on the Boston & Albany. Mr. Russell knew the railroad business from A to Z, and was well adapted to such a career, for which he was admirably trained. When an emergency arose, he rose with it with splendid reserve strength, and there are many emergencies in railroad life. The details of a manager in those days were many and varied, and there was no specialization of di- ties that obtains to-day. A superintendent was expected to man a train for fire relief, or a wreck, listen to complaints, as well as issne tickets. It required an all-around man. He did not hesitate to run as spare conductor if occasion were. Chester W. Chapin picked his men with a discriminating hand, and the fact
that Mr. Russell was one of his trusted lieu- tenants speaks volumes in itself. When he re- signed the directors spread these resolutions on the record: "The directors of the Boston & Albany railroad sincerely regret that Charles O. Russell has occasion on account of ill health to resign his position as superin- tendent of the road, and the directors bear greatful testimony to the ability, integrity and faithful devotion with which for so many years he has performed the duties of his of- fice." To his late employes Mr. Russell issued the following circular letter: "To the em- ployes of the Boston & Albany railroad: On the first of December I sever my connection with this company. I take this means of ex- pressing to you my heartfelt appreciation of the kindness and courtesy which I have re- ceived from you at all times. If any have been wronged during my service for the company I sincerely regret it. Wishing you happiness, I remain yours respectfully, Charles O. Rus- sell." In social and public life Mr. Russell filled his niche, though he was disinclined to official preferment. He was a Mason of Knight Templar rank. He was a director in the Chapin National Bank, and trustee in the Hampden Savings Bank. The Russells were hereditary Democrats from way back, but Charles O. voted independently at times. He was a member of the city council in 1856-57. He joined the City Guards in 1855, and was connected with the Old Ocean fire company, No. 4. Charles O. Russell was as true a gen- tleman as ever lived, kind-hearted, but not so demonstrative as his brother, James. He pos- sessed in an uncommon degree the qualities of courtesy, fine reserve and great energy. He was very popular among the trainmen, and moved among them as one of their number. He never forgot he came from the ranks him- self, yet this familiarity was of a kind that did not lesson in the least his authority .over his men. His word was a command. He was shy even to sensitiveness and despised no- toriety. When he went to California for his health, the men on his road were greatly con- cerned about him. They arranged to get word to Springfield when he was on his way east, and the Chester operator wired the message of his coming. On arrival he was horrified to find the old battery drawn up at the depot fir- ing a salute in his honor. Hundreds of men were ont to greet him. Such demonstrations were utterly distasteful to him, though he knew it sprang from hearts longing for his re- covery.
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