USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Reading > Genealogical history of the town of Reading, Mass., including the present towns of Wakefield, Reading, and North Reading, with chronological and historical sketches, from 1639 to 1874 > Part 38
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ISSACHAR STOWELL lived in the small house that stands opposite (across the street) to the house recently occupied by him, and where he d. in 1868. He was son of Capt. Issacher and Lydia Stowell, of Hingham ; was b. about 1786 ; m., Ist, 1806, Betsey Green ; she d. 1817, aged 28 or 33 ; m., 2d, 1818, Lydia Williams. Chil. : Eliza, b. 1807 ; Issachar, b. 1809, m. 1832, Louisa Slocomb, and died 1866 ; Haswell G., b. 1812, settled in Reading, has been twice married, and is now dead ; Elbridge, b. 1816, m. 1841, Susan M. Stimson ; Lydia A., b. 1819, m. 1841, Chas. W. Pond ; Henry W., b. 1821 ; Mary Q., b. 1824; Caroline, b. 1826. This farm was occupied in 1795 by Jacob Parker, who died in 1797. It formerly belonged to the Swain family. Capt. John Swain appears to have been living thereon in 1765.
BENJAMIN PETERS lived on the farm lately owned and occupied by Edward Upton, in a very ancient building, a part of which was sup- posed to be (1844) as old as the settlement of the town, but which was removed at the erection of Mr. Upton's present residence. This old place was the homestead of Nicholas Brown, an original settler, and the common ancestor of the Reading Browns. The farm continued in the Brown family and name until 1783, when Benjamin Peters, from Andover, m. in 1783, Martha, dau. of Jeremiah and Ruth Brown, and succeeded to the homestead. 'He was son of Benjamin Peters, who came, with his sons, from Andover, and d. 1812, aged 84. Benj., Jr., who m. Martha Brown, had one dau., Patty, who was imbe- cile in body and mind, and d. unm. He d. 1815, aged 60. His widow subsequently sold out and removed to Andover, and William Brown, her nephew, became the owner and occupant.
JOHN BROWN, 2d, lived on the place recently owned by the late Edmund E. Wiley, and in 1869 occupied by Rev. Horace Eaton, who married the said Edmunds' widow. Mr. Brown was son of Pearson Brown (see Early Settlers), and grand-nephew of John Brown, a bachelor, who was son of Nathaniel and Eleanor (Stearns) Brown, and who died 1811, aged 78. John Brown, 2d, became the heir and successor of his uncle, and m. 1813, Fanny, dau. of Jacob and Martha (Gould) Parker. She d. 1824, aged 31, and he m., 2d, in 1825, Harriet, dau. of Reuben Green, and removed to Greenwood and
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subsequently to Chestnut Street, where he d. March 6, 1864. Chil. : Fanny, b. 1814, who m. 1833, Elbridge Green, Esq., of Melrose ; Lydia, b. 1816, who m. 1835, John Derby, of Wakefield ; Eunice, b. 1819, who m. 1837, James Barrett, of Melrose ; Harriet Elizabeth, b. 1826, d. young ; John Pearson, b. 1829, d. young ; Hervey Wilbur, b. 1832, m. and d. young man ; Charles Baker, b. 1834, m. 1865, Elvira J. Stevens, of Orford, N. H. ; Harriet, b. 1844, m. 1866, T. Judson Skinner. Mr. Brown was a man of intelligence and respectability, industrious and smart, possessed of a highly social and vivacious disposition, and fond of relating anecdotes, of which he had an inexhaustible fund, and could always tell a story to match any one that he heard, no mat- ter how large. His wife, Harriet, died March 28, 1871.
TIMOTHY WALTON and EBENEZER WALTON, father and son, lived on the place recently occupied by Oliver Walton, Jr., in an old house that was taken down when the said Oliver, Jr., built the house now occupied by H. D. Austin.
Timothy Walton, was son of Josiah and Ruth Walton (see Early Settlers), b. 1743, m. Rebecca Mansfield, of Danvers ; d. 1818. Chil. : Josiah, who settled in Salem ; Ebenezer, Andrew, James, Ruth, Rebecca, who settled in South Reading, and Joseph, who was drowned in Lynn, in 1792, aged 23, and perhaps others.
Ebenezer Walton, m. 1806, Azabah Stiles, of Greenfield, N. H. Chil. : Mary, b. 1807, became a missionary to the Indians ; m. 1835, Ira D. Blanchard, of Missouri Territory ; Amos L., born 1809, m., Ist, 1832, Sarah Melendy, of Reading ; m., 2d, Miss Tasker ; Joshua, b. 1811, m. 1832, Harriet Melendy, of Reading ; Elmira, b. 1815; Ruth Ann, b. 1817 ; Abigail, b. 1819 ; Joseph Andrew, b. 1822 ; Tim- othy M., Ebenezer Nelson, and perhaps other children.
Mr. Walton subsequently built and occupied the small house lately owned by the late Amos L. Walton. He buried his wife in 1842; removed to Salem ; m. again ; is now dead. He was an earnest, hon- est, industrious man.
ANDREW WALTON, brother of Ebenezer, b. 1780 ; m. 1807, Sally, dau. of Nathan Walton ; they lived in the same house in which he recently died, and which he himself erected ; was blind for several years, and d. 1868. Children : Rachel, b. 1809, who d. unm .; Re- becca, b. 1813 ; m. 1839, Jotham Aborn, of Wakefield ; Eliza, b. 1818, and lives in Wakefield.
OLIVER WALTON, Sen., lived where his son Oliver, Jr., now lives. He was son of Jotham and Elizabeth (Green) Walton (see Early Settlers) ; b. 1758 ; m., Ist, Rebecca Tarbell, of Lynnfield ; m., 2d, 1833, Mrs.
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Mary Smith. Children : Rebecca, b. 1781 ; Betsey, b. 1783 ; Polly Felton, b. 1786, and m. 1807, Aaron Putnam ; Nancy, b. 1788; Oliver, b. 1791, and m. 1827, Sarah Smith, of Lynn; he lives in Wakefield, and is widely known as an extensive and honorable trader in horses ; Marsena, b. 1793, and m. 1814, Elias Larrabee ; Leonard, b. 1795, and m. 1820, Nancy Rugg ; Jonathan Tarbell, b. 1797, and m. Sarah H. Rugg ; John and Sarah (twins) ; John, b. 1800 ; m. 1820, Ann Burrill ; Sarah, b. 1800, m. 1824, Sewall Fletcher ; Jotham, b. 1802 ; m. 1824, Sarah Eaton.
Oliver Walton, Sen., succeeded on this place his father, Jotham Wal- ton, who was living here in 1765. Mr. Walton (Oliver) was a soldier in the Revolution, a quiet and industrious citizen.
ADAM HAWKES lived where Daniel P. Emerson now lives ; was son of Adam Hawkes, of Lynnfield, who lived where the late Joshua Hawkes lived, and where Geo. L. Hawkes now lives. Mr. Hawkes was a clothier and miller ; m., Ist, 1790, Sarah Perkins, of Lynnfield ; she d. 1810 ; m., 2d, 1811, Anna Payson ; she d. 1815, aged 33 ; m., 3d, 1816, Elizabeth Hall. Chil. : Adam, b. 1813 ; m. 1836, Cynthia Hall ; removed to New Hampshire ; John Payson, b. 1815 ; resides in Lynn- field, unm. ; Harrison Gray Otis, b. 1817 ; m. 1840, Mary Ann Walton, and removed to New Hampshire ; Sarah P., b. 1820 ; Gilman, b. 1823, and d. 1826 ; Ann, E., b. 1826, who m., Ist, 1844, E. E. Wiley ; and m., 2d, Rev. Horace Eaton, who was son of David and Betsey, and was born in Goffstown, N. H. ; he m., Ist, 1843, Sarah Chandler, dau. of Dea. Wmn. Chandler, of Belfast, N. H.
Lydia Eve, b. 1829, and m., Ist, 1855, W. T. Larkin ; m., 2d, 1868, S. A. Blackstock.
Mr. Hawkes was a man of respectability ; a representative in 1811 ; d. 1831, aged 66. Retiring in his disposition and habits, still ready to communicate on all proper occasions, ever modest and unassuming, his death was lamented as extensively as he was known.
VERNON STREET.
PETER GOULD lived near the southerly end of Vernon Street, then called the "Lot-end-road," on land of Jeremiah Green, in quite a small house, now removed. He was a native of Africa ; had been a slave of Ebenezer Gould, of Stoneham ; his wife's name was Chloe ; he had a large number of children, all but one of whom died in infancy ; one daughter, Peggy, survived, and was a shy, timid, feeble-minded girl.
Peter was an honest, hard-working man, and supported his family comfortably until old age incapacitated him for labor. He had a special
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talent for building stone wall for fences, at which business he was very expert. He perished, some thirty or more years ago, one cold day, in a snow-drift in Stoneham. His family were supported at last by the town of Stoneham. Peggy committed suicide by drowning herself in a well.
JOHN SWEETSER lived on the place now owned by Rev. R. W. Cush- . man's heirs. He also owned at this time, and subsequently occupied, the house and place now occupied by Rev. Dana Clayes. He was son of Samuel Sweetser, who d. in 1818, at the age of 86 ; and John, d. in 1847 ; m., Ist, 1782, Elizabeth, dau. of William and Susanna Green ; m., 2d, 1817, Rebecca Hawkes, of Lancaster, and dau. of Adam Hawkes, of Saugus, it being her first marriage. She d. 1866, aged 100 years, lacking two months. Chil .: John, b. 1785 ; m. 1807, Bet- sey Bryant, of Stoneham, and settled in Lynnfield; is now dead ; Betsey, b. 1789 ; m. 1811, Daniel Green of Stonehamn, and is now dead ; Rebecca, b. 1796; m. 1822, Rev. Dana Clayes, then of Plainfield, N. H., now of Wakefield ; Hiram, b. 1802 ; m. 1824, Elizabeth Healy.
Mr. John Sweetser was in early life a shoe manufacturer, and sub- sequently a farmer, and in both departments was enterprising and suc- cessful ; was a man of intelligence, punctuality, and probity ; was a soldier of the Revolution.
The house and farm, now owned by Rev. Dr. Cushman's heirs, as aforesaid, with some variation in the lands, was occupied in 1765 by Thomas Emerson, son of Ebenezer, and born in 1724 (see Early Set- tlers) ; he had a large family of children, who became the heads of several important and influential families, viz .: Elizabeth, b. 1753, and m. 1777, Benjamin Emerson (see before) ; Hannah, b. 1755 ; m. 1793, Capt. Timo. Wakefield (2d wife) ; Thomas, b. 1757 ; m. 1782, Ruth Bancroft (see before) ; William, b. 1760; m., Ist, 1782, Sarah Cowdrey, of South Reading ; m., 2d, 1785, Mary Vinton, of Stoneham ; settled in Malden (now Melrose), and his descendants in Melrose are numerous and enterprising ; Jerusha, b. 1762 ; m. 1782, Capt. Nathan- iel Cowdrey ; Susanna, b. 1764; m. 1793, Wm. Williams, of Malden, who afterwards settled in South Reading ; Jonathan, b. 1768; m. 1796, Martha Williams, of Chelsea ; Lucy, b. 1770; m. 1788, Capt. Aaron Damon, and settled in Vermont ; Lois, b. 1772; m. 1792, John Smith.
The house and farm, now occupied by the Rev. Dana Clayes, with perhaps some variation in lands, was occupied in 1765 by Joseph Underwood, who m. 1739, Ruth Bancroft. (See Early Settlers.)
THOMAS SWAIN lived in the house now owned by David Batchelder,
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and known as David Batchelder's old house. He was son of Dr. Thomas and Abigail Swain, and was born 1780 ; m. 1803, Sally, dau. of David and Mary Parker. Chil. : Otis, b. 1804; m. 1826, Mary Johnson, of Andover ; Sally, b. 1806 ; m. 1826, Jeremiah Green ; is not living ; David Parker, b. 1807 ; Albert, b. 1809 ; Thomas, b. 1813, and lives in Lynnfield ; Mary (b. about 1811) ; m. 1829, Thomas Green ; is not living ; Caleb Strong, b. 1815 ; m. 1839, Mary W. Fulton, of Boston ; Harriet, b. 1818, and m. 1846, Joseph Hall, of Medford ; Emily, b. 1820 ; m. 1840, Tho. Emerson, Jr., of Wakefield ; Caroline, b. 1823 ; m. 1849, C. Emory Foster, formerly of Wakefield.
Mr. Swain was a man of intelligence, had a good common-school education, was of a very amiable disposition, modest and unassuming in his manners, industrious, kind-hearted, faithful, and altogether a most worthy citizen. He d. 1832, aged 52.
The predecessors of Mr. Swain on this place were: His father, Dr. Thomas, who d. 1780; his uncle, Dr. Oliver, who d. 1773 ; and his grandfather, Dr. Thomas, who d. 1759.
A few rods northerly of Mr. Swain's residence, on the westerly side of the street, there stood, about this time, a dwelling, since removed, occupied by a family by the name of Lewis. Timothy Lewis, who m. 1767, Martha, dau. of Michael Sweetser, is said to have lived here. He had chil. : Martha, b. 1769 ; Lydia, William, Charles, Timothy, and perhaps others. The house was subsequently purchased by Issachar Stowell, who removed it to the place it now occupies, on Salem Street, opposite the residence lately occupied by said Stowell.
CALEB GREEN lived on the place now owned and occupied by his son, Joshua Green.
He was the son of Capt. William and Susanna Green ; was born about 1771 ; his mother was a Townsend, from Lynnfield ; he m. 1793, Polly Munroe, of Lynnfield, and d. 1859, aged 88. Chil. : Eliza, b. 1800, and d. unm. ; Caleb, b. 1803, and m., Ist, Clarissa Newhall ; m., 2d, 1847, Abigail Willey ; Joshua, b. 1805 ; m. 1864, - Hurd ; Mary, b. 1808 ; m. 1852, Daniel Nichols (2d wife).
Mr. Green was a man of intelligence, integrity, and great private worth ; was fond of reading, and was well posted in ancient and mod- ern history ; he was withal a man of unusual diffidence and modesty, and eminent for his amiable and peaceful disposition.
This house and farm was formerly occupied by a portion of the Underwood family.
JONATHAN PRATT lived where Jonathan Nichols, Sen., has lately lived, in the house now or lately occupied by Mrs. Welch.
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GENEALOGICAL HISTORY
Mr. Pratt was son of Amos Pratt, of Saugus, and brother of the late David Pratt, of Reading. He m. Mercy, dau. of Joseph and Sarah Burditt. Chil .: David, who m. 1821, Hannah Patch, of Greenfield, N. H. ; Sally, a highly intelligent young lady, who d. young ; Jonathan, who lives in Reading, unmarried.
Mr. Pratt was a sensible, modest, precise man, of strict integrity ; he removed to the place in Reading where his son David now lives.
LOWELL STREET.
ELIJAH MERRILL lived in a small house opposite to that now occu- pied by Charles Carter ; was a laboring man ; had a large family of children ; was poor, and soon removed from town.
The place was subsequently owned by Stephen Floyd, and has since been taken down. It was occupied in 1795 by Ephraim Willey, who was the first occupant known. .
REUBEN NEWHALL owned and occupied the place now owned by Charles Carter ; he was the son of Nehemiah Newhall, of Lynnfield, where he was born in 1769 ; his mother was the dau. of Dea. Benj. and the sister of Gen. Benj. Brown, of Reading ; he m. 1794 or '5, Mary Thompson, of Woburn, and had chil. : Reuben, b. 1795, and m. 1823, Emily Rugg, of Lancaster ; Mary, b. 1797, and d. a young woman ; Thompson, b. 1798; m. 1822, Hannah Crocker, and d. 1866 ; Sally, b. 1800 ; m. 1824, Jona. Brown, of Westbrook; she is now a widow ; Clarissa, b. 1803; m. 1826 or '7, Caleb Green, and is now dead ; Elizabeth, b. 1809 ; m. 1829, Stephen Floyd ; Susan, b. 1814 ; m. 1844, Gilman A. Coggin, and now dead.
Mr. Newhall was a shoemaker and farmer ; industrious and honest, with pretty strong prejudices and quick feelings ; his son Reuben suc- ceeded him on the place, and sold to the present owner. In 1795 it was occupied by Elias Emerson, who afterwards removed to Lancaster. Mr. N. d. 1846.
SAMUEL SWEETSER and LYDIA SWEETSER, father and daughter, lived in the house now owned and occupied by James J. Mansfield.
Samuel Sweetser was the son of Michael and Mary Sweetser ; b. about 1732 ; settled in Saugus ; had many children ; removed in his latter life to South Reading, where he died in 1818, aged 86.
Among his children were John, Daniel, Moses, Ezra, Aaron, Elias (who was insane), Lydia, etc.
Lydia Sweetser, who never married, lived with her father, and after his death continued to occupy the house aforesaid.
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Daniel Sweetser occupied this house before his father and sister, and was here in 1795.
AARON BURDITT lived in the house recently occupied by his widow, and still owned by his heirs. He was son of Joseph and Sarah (Sweet- ser) Burditt, and born in Malden, probably. He m., Ist, 1797, Han- nah, dau. of Edmund Eaton ; m., 2d, 1820, Sally B. Upton ; he d. 1841. Chil. : Hannah, b. 1799 ; betrothed to Harfield Hart, and d. unm. in 1822 ; Aaron, b. 1802 ; m. 1825, Mary, dau. of James Emerson ; Mary Eaton, b. 1804 ; m. 1825, James Butler ; William, b. 1821 ; m. Emily Poole ; Henry, b. 1823, and m. Mary, dau. of F. B. Eaton ; James H., b. 1825 ; Benj., b. 1827 ; Frances, Aaron, and two or three others.
Mr. Burditt was intelligent, respectable, and possessed great activity and energy in business ; was a dealer in horses to some extent, and a good judge of their character. He erected the house in which he lived and died.
THOMAS PARKER lived in the house lately owned by Suel Winn, and now owned by Mrs. Rogers, and improved a considerable farm, for- merly connected therewith. He was son of Thomas and Sarah Parker (see Early Settlers) ; b. 1751; m. 1773, Sarah, dau. of Thomas and Mary Richardson ; they had no children, and both died 1822.
He was a deacon, and a very intelligent, modest, and worthy citizen.
Mrs. Parker was a Christian woman, with some literary taste ; she kept a journal, and under date of June, 1775, she writes : "The Regu- lars came over Charles River, and attacked the American army, who were fortifying a hill called Bunker's Hill, where a bloody battle ensued ; and the Regulars got the hill, with the loss of 1,450 men ; they also burnt the town of Charlestown. Our army retreated, with the loss of 150 men killed and wounded, and 30 taken prisoners." In 1776, she records in her journal the following poem, probably her own compo- sition : ---
"ON GOD'S LAW.
" The sacred law of God Is like to Moses' rod ; If we but keep it in our hand, It will do wonders in the land ;
If we slight and throw it to the ground,
'T will turn a serpent and inflict a wound;
Around that, flesh and blood cannot endure,
Nor save, until the brazen serpent cure ; I wish not, Lord, thou shouldst withhold it, Nor would I have it and not hold it ; O teach me then, my God, To handle Moses' rod."
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This place was the original homestead of the Parker family, and remained in the Parker name until the decease of Dea. Thomas, in 1822. It was formerly, for many years, noted as a public house and grocery.
JAMES BURDITT bought and occupied, about this time, a small house (the present occupant is unknown). Benj. Badger, Jr., built the house, and after occupying it a short time, sold it to Mr. Burditt.
He (Burditt) was the son of Joseph and Sarah (Sweetser) Burditt ; b. about 1775 ; m. 1798, Fanny, dau. of Dea. Jacob and Margaret Emerson. Children : James, b. 1801 ; m. 1830, Betsey Matthews, and lives in Stoneham ; Warren, b. 1803 ; unm. ; mind injured by sickness ; Fanny, b. 1805 ; m. 1825, Moses Sweetser, Jr., and is d. Mr. James Burditt d. 1822, aged 47.
EDWARD BURDITT, brother of James, aforesaid, was b. about 1766 ; m., Ist, - Pratt, of Malden ; m., 2d, 1814, Lois Gill, of Malden, and d. 1835, aged 69. Chil. : Betsey, m. 1815, Dea. Martin Stowell ; Joseph, m. 1818, Dolly Slocomb ; both d. ; Edward, m. 1816, Elizabeth Nichols ; is now d. ; Nathan, m. 1828, Sophronia Woodward ; is now d .; Sally and Lucinda d. unm. ; and perhaps other children.
Mr. Burditt was a quiet, industrious citizen, an unbeliever in the theory of the earth's diurnal motion, because in that case, he reasoned, " his well would be nightly emptied of its contents." He loved pigeon-shooting, and took delight in relating marvellous stories of events that had come under his own observation ; for instance : "Sit- ting for pigeons, on a certain occasion," said he, "when those birds were flying in great abundance, and having decoyed to my pole a mighty flock, I was so excited, that I fired a little too low, and did not drop a single pigeon ; but," said he, "I picked up a hat-full of pigeons' feet."
The Burditt family, the whole race of them, had a special gift and skill in the manufacture of shoes, which enabled them to turn them off with great rapidity and beauty. The art seemed to be instinctive with them, for the children, with scarcely any instruction, were at once, almost, good and quick workmen at the craft.
JAMES CRAIN lived in a house, built by himself, that stood near the last named, and which was burned a few years since. He m. 1804, Lydia Burditt, and d. 1855, aged 71. Chil. : James, m. Rebecca Hutch- inson ; William, m. Sarah A. Hutchinson ; Lydia, m. Samuel P. Avery ; Elizabeth, m. Virnum Sweetser ; a daughter, m. Geo. P. Eaton ; Nancy P., m. Daniel Stevens.
This place was formerly quite noted as being the head-quarters, on
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election and Thanksgiving days, for chicken and turkey shooting- matches.
WID. SARAH BURDITT and JOHN BURDITT, mother and son, lived in an ancient mansion that stood near where now stands the house lately owned by E. W. Wood.
Wid. Sarah was the wid. of Joseph Burditt, formerly of Malden, to whom she was married in 1766 ; she was dau. of Michael and Mary (Smith) Sweetser, and was born 1745.
Mr. Burditt removed to Reading about 1790, and d. 1804, aged 65 ; his wid. d. 1831, aged 86. His children are noticed under distinct heads.
This old mansion, now removed, and the farm formerly connected therewith, constituted the early homestead of a family of Cutlers who removed away many years ago. Lilley Eaton, Sen., was living on the place in the time of the Revolution.
John Burditt m., Ist, 1809, Lydia Hawkes ; was twice married, and has recently deceased. Children : Lydia, m. T. J. Sweetser (2d wife) ; Sarah,-m. and settled in Saugus; John has been married several times ; Benja., d. young ; Francis, settled in Lynn ; Polly, and other children.
CHURCH STREET.
REUBEN EMERSON lived in the parsonage house, a dwelling now owned by John M. Cate, and removed to Salem Street ; is used at present as a tenement house. The house was erected in 1804 or 1805, and was the third parsonage house built by said parish. It had origi- nally a flat or hipped roof, and was without an L. It was remodelled a few years since.
Mr. Emerson was at this time the pastor of the First Parish, and the eighth minister of said parish ; he was born in Ashby in 1771; was the son of John and Katharine (Eaton) Emerson, and grandson of Dea. Brown Emerson, of Reading. In early life he was a shoemaker, and worked at that honorable handicraft in this town, and mainly by his own efforts and earnings secured a liberal education, and graduated at Dartmouth College in 1798 ; m. 1800, Persis Hardy, of New Hamp- shire ; was ordained in Westminster, Vt., in 1800 ; was ordained as pastor of the Congregational church in Reading (now Wakefield) in 1804, and d. 1860. He occupied the mansion until his death. Chil- dren : Brown Handell Buckley, born about 1801 ; studied medicine with Dr. Spaulding, of South Reading ; settled first in Boston, where he married ; removed to the interior of New York, where he died in
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middle life. The lustre of the eminent names which he wore was cer- tainly not increased by any excellencies of this namesake, for he was not illustrious for natural or acquired gifts. He had a good musical ear, as was true of the whole family, and could play well on instru- ments. He had an impediment in his speech, stammering very badly. He was somewhat intemperate in his habits. He left no children.
Charles Milton, born 1802, graduated at Dartmouth College in 1826 with honor ; studied law ; settled first at Hartford, Conn. ; m., Ist, a Miss Chapman, of Greenfield ; was several years clerk in the Connec- ticut Senate ; became embarrassed by losses in land speculations, which induced him to remove to New Orleans, leaving his family behind. At New Orleans he secured the reputation of being an able and honorable counsellor.
Charles M. was our own cotemporary playmate, schoolmate, and intimate youthful associate, and it was with much sorrow that we learned that in the late War of the Rebellion he espoused the cause of secession, refused to take the oath of allegiance to his country, and was obliged in consequence to leave New Orleans for other parts of rebeldom. Upon the fall of the confederacy, or before, he returned to New Orleans, where he now resides. He m. a second wife at New Orleans, and has several young children. A son by his first wife was educated at Cambridge, and died recently.
John Calvin (third son of Reuben), b. about 1803 ; was a tall, portly, good-looking youth, of overflowing good nature, easy, moderate, social, and fond of sport and fun. He possessed a nice ear and a warm love for sweet sounds, became a teacher of music, settled in Savannah, Ga., where he died a young man, and unm.
Catharine Anna Fiske, b. 1805, the only daughter, is still living, and resides at Somerville or Salem, unm. Propriety will not permit that we should say more of her than that she is an intelligent, amiable, cheer- ful, and worthy lady, who will be long remembered by the people of South Reading as the sweet singer and accomplished leader in the choir of the old church, long made vocal with her melodies.
Reuben Washington (the youngest son), b. 1806, was an eccentric genius ; naturally indolent, and without a spark of ambition, he had rather starve than work. He was a great trial to his family. He learned the trade of a printer ; had a good common-school education, and was peculiar in his knowledge of geography, particularly that of his own neighborhood, being able to give the boundary towns of every town in New England. Like Old Mortality, he was fond of decipher- ing the inscriptions upon the ancient gravestones in the old cemeteries.
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He was a musician, in common with the rest of the family, but was too slothful to make the gift available for any benefit to himself or anybody else. He was once convicted and imprisoned for stealing, but he stole .nothing but food, preferring to steal victuals rather than work for them. He went to Ohio, and there died.
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