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 45
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16th. From Daniel Norcross' to the Railroad, "Chestnut Street ";
464
GENEALOGICAL HISTORY
17th. From B. B. Wiley's store to Old Meeting House, "Common Street " ; 18th. From Eaton's corner, westerly, to Cowdrey's Hill, "Church
Street " ; 19th. From Old Prentiss House to William Deadman's, "Lafayette Street " ;
20th. From foot of Cowdrey's Hill, westerly, to Woburn Line, " Prospect Street ";
2Ist. From James Emerson's to Stoneham Line, " Cedar Street "; 22d. From Davis Foster's, around the hill, to Prospect Street, " Brook Street ";
23d. From foot of Cowdrey's Hill, northerly, to Reading Line, " Elm Street ";
24th. From Daniel Nichols', northerly, to Lynnfield Line, " Vernon Street " ;
25th. From near David Pratt's house, easterly, to Lynnfield Line, " Pine Street " ;
26th. From Leonard Walton's, westerly, to Stoneham Line, " Green- wood Street";
27th. From house of J. H. Sweet, northwesterly, to Reading. Line, " Hopkins Street ";
28th. From the Town House to the Pond, "Pond Street"; and the upper lake was designated as "Quannapowitt," while the lower one received the title of " Wappahtuck."
1849. - The several school districts had their boundaries particu- larly defined and established.
"Wiley " Street was laid out, and "Greenwood " Street (which was laid out in 1828, and no record thereof made) was re-laid out and established.
1850-"Avon " Street and "Eaton Court" were this year laid out.
Dr. T. Scott Lambert presented sixty-two copies of his work, enti- tled, "Popular Anatomy and Physiology," and the thanks of the town were duly returned therefor.
1851. - Town voted, "That the members of the Engine Company, not exceeding forty-five in number, and containing none under 18 years of age, be paid for their services the sum of $5 each, per annum, and, in addition thereto, have the amount of their Poll taxes refunded."
465
OF THE TOWN OF READING.
1852. - This year the town adopted the principle of the " Maine Law."
"Park," "North Mechanic," "Broad," "Sweetser," and "School " Streets were laid out.
The " Yale " engine was purchased, and a new engine house ordered to be erected.
1853. - "Richardson," "Melvin," "Farm," and " Forest" Streets were laid out, and " Pearl " Street was accepted, conditionally.
Town of North Reading was this year incorporated.
New engine house in South Reading was erected, and a system of rules and orders for the government of town-meetings, including, also, the plurality rule, were this year adopted.
1854. - The Eastern Railroad asked of the Legislature leave to dis- continue a portion of the South Reading Branch, between South Read- ing and South Danvers, and a committee was appointed by the town, and instructed to oppose such a discontinuance.
Fire department this year established.
1856. - A new town almshouse was this year erected, and a public town library was authorized.
"Gould " Street was laid out, and Chestnut Street was extended.
1857. - Town voted to receive a sum of money from Ezra Eaton, of Boston, and to appropriate the interest of the same in keeping his burial lot and tomb in good condition.
The Constitutional Amendment, requiring voters to be able to read and write, was this year adopted, eighty-eight to nine.
Town voted, " That hereafter the Annual Town-Meetings shall be held in April, instead of in March."
"Washington " and " Lake " Streets were this year established.
1858. - Greenwood school-house was removed from its former site, on Main Street, to its present location on Oak Street.
1859. - The "old church " (Congregational) was removed from its former to its present position, and was. thoroughly remodelled.
The town changed the name of that portion of its territory long known as the "East Ward," to that of " Montrose."
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GENEALOGICAL HISTORY
The common was drained and graded, and a change of grade was made in high school yard.
The old bell was removed to the town house.
The Yale engine house, of wood, was burned, and a new one, of brick, was erected.
The Jewish Cemetery, on the western border of Lake Quannapowitt, was laid out.
1860. - Town accepted and adopted report of a committee, previ- ously appointed to estimate the expense of fencing the public com- mon ; said committee estimating the expense of said work at seven hundred dollars. The same committee being authorized to secure the completion of said work, it was accordingly erected at a cost of $636.75.
1861, May .- Town voted, "That the treasurer be hereby authorized and directed to hire the sum of five thousand dollars, for military pur- poses."
1862, August 25. - Town voted, "That one hundred dollars be paid to all who enlist in the 'Richardson Light Guard,' for service under the nine months' call, provided that they receive no bounty from any other town, and that they are at this time residents of the town of South Reading."
Sept. 8. - Town voted, "That such citizens of South Reading as are serving in the ranks of the Federal Army, whose settlement at the time of enlistment was in this town, and who have not received a bounty from the town, shall each receive from the town treasury, at the expiration of such service, or honorable discharge therefrom, the sum of one hundred dollars ; and to such as may fall in battle, or die in such service, it shall be paid to the widow of such deceased soldier (if he leaves one) ; otherwise, to his legal representative: provided, however, that the bounties shall not be paid until the right of the town to do so shall have been secured by law ; provided, also, that in case any one of said volunteers has received of the town aid for his family, or those dependent upon him for support, to a larger amount than is refunded by the State, such excess of aid thus furnished, shall be deducted from the bounty now voted."
1864, April. - Town voted, " That the selectmen be instructed to take measures for the placing of a gate, or flag-man, at the R. R. cross- ing on Salem Street, near the residence of William Brown."
,
467
OF THE TOWN OF READING.
Also voted, "That the town appropriate one hundred and twenty- five dollars to be paid to each volunteer enlisted and completely mus- tered into the military service of the United States, as a part of the quota of South Reading, under the last call of the President for 200,000 men."
1865, May. - Town voted, "That Lilley Eaton, in preparing a his- tory of South Reading, be authorized to expend such sums as may be necessary to secure facts and other material for the work, and present the bills to the town for payment."
1866. - Town chose a committee to co-operate with a similar com- mittee from the town of Lynnfield, to make application to the Supreme Judicial Court, for the enforcement of the contract between the East- ern Railroad and the South Reading Branch R. R. corporations.
"Yale Avenue " was laid out and accepted.
1867. - "Franklin " Street, and a new street from Albion Street, southerly, to Broadway, were laid out.
1868, January 20. - Town chose a building committee to superintend the erection of a new town hall building, the gift of Cyrus Wakefield, Esq., of which committee Mr. Wakefield was chairman.
Town also voted, "That the selectmen be directed to prepare a petition in the name and behalf of the town, to be presented to the Legislature of Massachusetts, praying that the name of the town of South Reading may be changed to that of Wakefield."
(N. B. For a fuller account of these matters, see Appendix M and P.)
April. - Hon. Lilley Eaton, chairman of library trustees, presented their annual report, and thereupon it was voted, "That in considera- tion of the fact that Lucius Beebe, Esq., had presented for the use of the library, the sum of five hundred dollars, the thanks of the town be presented for his generous gift, and that the public library be hereafter known as the " Beebe Public Library of Wakefield."
New Street laid out and accepted, from Gould to Albion Streets.
1869. - The improvement and drainage of Main Street, in accord- ance with recommendation of a committee, was authorized and effected.
" Bryant " Street laid out ; also, a new street from Water to Vernon Streets.
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GENEAI.OGICAL HISTORY
And a new street was laid out from Greenwood to Brown Streets, the expense of which was to be assessed upon the owners of adjoining lands, according to law. This street was subsequently named " Myrtle Avenue."
1870. - "Centre " and " Traverse " Streets were laid out.
1871. - The name of "Washington Street" was changed to that of "Foundry Street."
May I. - Town voted, " That the committee, appointed for the pur- pose of ascertaining the cost of land, which was desired for the exten- sion of the common, be instructed and authorized to purchase said land for such purpose, in accordance with a plan submitted by said committee, provided that, in their judgment, the prices are reasonable, and, for the payment of the same, the treasurer is hereby authorized to hire a sum, not exceeding nineteen thousand six hundred dollars, for a term of ten years."
RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED BY THE TOWN.
" Whereas, Cyrus Wakefield, Esq., in accordance with an offer pre- viously made, and with a liberality scarcely paralleled, at his own expense has erected a town house, massive and graceful in its propor- tions, elegant in its architecture and appointments, ample and conven- ient for the purposes which were contemplated in its construction, and has presented the same for the unrestricted use of the citizens of Wakefield, therefore,
" Resolved, That we, the said citizens, in town-meeting assembled, in approval and endorsement of the acts of our municipal officers which marked their reception of this building, hereby tender to Cyrus Wake- field, Esq., this sincere and unanimous expression of our gratitude for his munificent donation.
" Resolved, That, fully recognizing and appreciating the magnitude of the gift, as well as the benefits it confers, we will use our best endeav- ors to preserve this building in its original beauty and attractiveness, - and so transmit it, unimpaired, to our children, that they also may hold the generous donor in grateful remembrance."
May I. - Town voted, "That the sum of thirty-two thousand five hundred dollars be appropriated for the purchase of land on the corner of Common and Lafayette Streets, and for the erection of a school building thereon."
469
OF THE TOWN OF READING.
Town voted, "That the sum of seven thousand dollars be appro- priated for the purchase of land near the junction of Franklin and Nahant Streets, and for the erection of a school-house thereon."
Town voted, " That the town treasurer be authorized to hire the sum of twenty thousand dollars, for the term of five years, and the further sum of nineteen thousand five hundred dollars, for the term of ten years."
"Emerald " Street and " itch Court" were this year laid out and accepted.
August 14. - Town voted, "To purchase one chemical, self-acting fire engine, manufactured by the N. E. Fire Extinguisher Co., of Northampton," and a committee was authorized to make the purchase.
Oct. 2. - Town voted, "That the engineers be authorized to erect a suitable engine house, in Montrose, for the accommodation of the engine to be purchased by the citizens of that district."
" Lawrence " Street was accepted. 1
1872, Jan. 8. - Town voted, " That the treasurer be authorized to hire the sum of twenty-five thousand dollars by the issue of notes or bonds, for a term not exceeding ten years, for the purpose of funding a portion of the town debt, due on demand, and for re-funding that portion of the funded debt maturing the present year."
April 1. - Town voted, "To change the names of 'Bow' and 'Grove ' Streets, to ' Railroad ' Street.'
Town voted, "To purchase a hook and ladder carriage, at a cost not exceeding one thousand dollars."
Town voted, "That the sum of twenty thousand dollars be appro- priated] for the finishing and furnishing of the new high school-house, and that the treasurer be authorized to hire that sum for a term of ten years, by the issue of bonds."
Town voted, "That the sum of four thousand five hundred dollars be raised and appropriated for the erection of a new school-house in the Woodville district."
" Highland " and "Cedar " Streets were laid out and accepted.
New streets were also laid out and accepted, as follows : from Water Street, near the Centre depot, easterly, to Water Street, near Mr. J. Colman's house ; and from Vernon Street, easterly and southerly, to Melvin Street.
November 5. - The following communication was presented to the town, by the chairman of the selectmen : -
470
GENEALOGICAL HISTORY
To the Selectmen of Wakefield, Mass.
I, Harriet N. Flint, as an expression of my regard for the town of my nativity, propose to give to the town of Wakefield the sum of one thousand dollars ; the same to be held in trust by the treasurer of said town, and the interest thereof, and that only, to be annually expended in the purchase of books for the Beebe Town Library.
It is my desire that the interest, as above, should be annually paid by the town treasurer to the treasurer of said library, that the books should be selected by the library trustees, and that, upon the accept- ance of this fund by the town, it should be designated and known as " The Flint Memorial Fund.'
Witness,
L. B. EVANS,
(Signed) HARRIET N. FLINT.
Edward Mansfield, Esq., then offered the following resolutions, which were unanimously adopted : -
" Resolved, That the generous proposal of Mrs. Harriet N. Flint to present to the town the sum of one thousand dollars, for the purpose set forth in her communication to the selectmen, is hereby gratefully accepted by the citizens of Wakefield, in town meeting assembled.
" Resolved, That the town treasurer be hereby authorized to receive the said sum of one thousand dollars in trust, and that he be instructed faithfully to comply with the wishes expressed by the liberal donor, as to the disposition of the same.
" Resolved, That the cordial thanks of the citizens of Wakefield are hereby tendered to Mrs. Flint, for her eminent generosity ; and that the town clerk be instructed to forward to her a copy of these resolu- tions."
1873, Feb. 10. - Town voted, "That the selectmen be authorized and instructed to draft and present to the Legislature a bill for the purpose of authorizing the town of Wakefield to pay such bounties to any soldiers (who served in the recent war and were credited to the quota of said town) as they shall deem expedient."
April 7. - Town voted, "That the rule adopted by the town at a previous meeting, requiring the votes for town officers to be cast on one ballot, be suspended and abolished."
Town voted, "That the selectmen be instructed to appear before the County Commissioners of this county, at their meeting in Cambridge, and in behalf of the town, protest against any further assessments being laid upon the town for the support of Malden Bridge."
471
OF THE TOWN OF READING.
Town voted, " That J. S. Eaton, Lucius Beebe, Richard Britton, and Chester W. Eaton, be a committee for the purpose of securing the completion and publication of the 'Town History ' (left incomplete at the decease of the late Hon. Lilley Eaton), in accordance with a report from the selectmen ; the town assuming an expense therefor not exceed- ing the sum of twenty-five hundred dollars."
PROFESSIONAL.
LIST OF GRADUATES.
GRAD.
COLLEGE.
DIED.
Samuel Bacheller,
1731,
Harvard.
1796
Daniel Emerson,
I739,
1801
Joseph Swain,
1744,
1792
Aaron Putnam,
1752,
66
1813
Elias Smith,
1753,
66
1792
Jacob Emerson,
1756,
66
1797
Amos Sawyer,
1765,
66
1769
Samuel S. Poole,
1770,
66
1836
Jacob Burnap,
I770,
66
1821
Martin Herrick,
1772,
66
1820
Jacob Herrick,
1777,
1832
Brown Emerson,
1778,
William Hobby, Jr.,
Died Sen. y'r.
Aaron Bancroft,
1778,
1839
Edmund Foster,
1778,
Yale.
1826
Nathaniel Parker,
1779,
Harvard.
1792
Micah Stone,
1790,
66
1852
Jacob Flint,
1794,
66
1820
Reuben Emerson,
1798,
Timothy Flint,
1800,
Harvard.
1840
James Flint,
1802,
Elias Upton,
1802,
Nathan Parker,
1803,
66
1833
Thomas Pratt,
1815,
66
1820
Samuel Green,
1816,
66
Samuel Hart,
1817,
Jona. Weston,
66
1835
Charles Prentiss,
1795,
Dartmouth.
1855
1857
66
18II
Samuel Dix,
1758,
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GENEALOGICAL HISTORY
GRAD.
COLLEGE.
DIED.
Daniel Temple,
1817,
Dartmouth.
1851
John Batchelder,
1823,
Harvard.
Amos B. Lambert,
J. M. Nelson,
(Expelled),
Brown.
Thomas Sawyer,
Cyrus Nichols,
Warren Nichols,
Charles M. Emerson,
1826,
Dartmouth.
William Gage,
1828,
Amherst.
George Nichols,
1828,
Harvard.
Benj. W. Parker,
1829,
Amherst.
Stillman Pratt,
1831,
66
Horace P. Wakefield,
1832,
John S. Wallace,
1832,
Yale.
Francis Smith,
1837,
Brown.
William F. Wallace,
Wm. Wakefield, Jr.,
1839,
Amherst.
Pliny F. Sanborn,
1840,
Thos. M. Symonds,
Waterville.
Fred. Wiley,
1847,
Brown.
Fred. S. Wiley,
Waterville. 66
Wm. L. Brown,
T. Albert Emerson,
Yale.
Henry Putnam,
Charles Hewes,
Aaron H. Sawyer,
1855,
Dartmouth. 66
Edwin Sweetser,
Tufts.
Alfred Sweetser,
Waterville. Harvard.
Joseph Burditt,
M. Hutchinson,
LAWYERS. IN READING.
Joshua Prescott. A. A. Prescott. Solon Bancroft. Carroll D. Wright.
Francis A. Fabens. Chauncy P. Judd. B. M. Hartshorn. - Fuller. George Minot.
E. A. Upton, C. W. Eaton,
1859,
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OF THE TOWN OF READING.
IN WAKEFIELD.
William Nichols. Martin L. Stow. H. F. Barstow.
O. B. Potter. E. A. Upton. C. W. Eaton.
E. M. Cunningham. R. Rantoul, Jr.
William St. A. Stearns.
William L. Brown. J. O. Boswell. S. K. Hamilton.
C. F. Blandin.
Thomas Sawyer.
In NORTH READING. Henry Putnam.
John Brooks. Nathan Perry. John Hart, Jr. Abner Phelps. Daniel Gould. S. H. Spaulding. F. F. Dole. F. F. Brown. J. H. Hannaford.
PHYSICIANS.
IN READING.
Nathaniel Parker. Skilton. Nathan Richardson.
Samuel Hart.
Kendall Davis. H. P. Wakefield.
John N. Sanborn. Leonard Block. M. Berry.
IN WAKEFIELD.
William Stimpson. Jeremiah Swain. Thomas Swain, Ist. Oliver Swain. John Hay. Nathan Richardson. Thaddeus Spaulding.
Josiah Abbott.
Wm. H. Willis. W. W. Cutler. J. G. Brown. Charles Jordan. S. W. Abbott. E. P. Colby.
Azel Ames, Jr.
James Stimpson. Eben Stimpson. Benjamin Swain. Thomas Swain, 2d. William Hay. John Hart. S. O. Richardson. S. A. Toothaker. Jos. D. Mansfield. Josiah Poland. Josiah Norcross. M. S. Brown. W. W. Eaton. J. R. Mansfield.
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GENEALOGICAL HISTORY
Daniel Putnam. Jacob Goodwin.
IN NORTH READING. Martin Herrick. D. A. Grosvenor.
PROFESSIONAL SONS OF READING, WHO SETTLED IN OTHER PLACES.
Rev. S. Bacheller.
Rev. Elias Smith.
David Emerson.
George Evans.
Jacob Emerson.
Brown Emerson.
Joseph Swain.
William Gage.
Amos B. Lambert.
Francis Smith.
Samuel Green.
66 Fred. S. Wiley.
Frederic Wiley.
T. A. Emerson.
66
Edwin Sweetser.
A. H. Sweetser.
Samuel Nichols.
Michael Burditt.
" Winfield S. Hawkes.
Ebenezer Nelson, Jr.
Joshua Burnham.
B. W. Atwell.
Charles Bryant.
Granville S. Abbott.
Dr. Charles Hay.
Dr. John Hart.
B. B. Emerson.
Alex. Poole.
66
J. M. Eaton.
Daniel Gould.
L. E. Emerson.
Dr. T. S. Lambert.
Prof. B. F. Tweed.
" J. C. Emerson.
" C. M. Emerson, Esq.
" Harrison Tweed, Esq.
Prof. B. Badger, Jr.
" George A. Walton.
Charles A. Tweed, Esq.
T. B. Brown, Esq.
COLLEGE GRADUATES OF READING.
The following is a list of persons who have graduated from college while belonging to this town : -
Rev. Samuel Batcheller, graduated at Harvard College in 1731, was settled as pastor in the West parish in Haverhill in 1735. In 1769 and 1770, he was representative from that town. He died in March, 1796, in Royalston, Mass. Chase, in the History of Haverhill, calls him a man of superior talents and attainments.
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66 Samuel Hart.
Harris Cowdrey.
L. M. Yale.
R. E. Smiley.
Abram Gould.
475
OF THE TOWN OF READING.
Samuel S. Poole, graduated at Harvard College, class of 1770. He took sides with the Tories in the war of the Revolution, and like many others of that class when they "wanted more room," he removed to Nova Scotia, where he became a judge. He lived on the place for- merly owned by Dea. Wakefield, in the easterly part of the town.
Rev. Jacob Burnap, D. D., son of Isaac, Harvard College, class of 1770. Was ordained first pastor of the first church in Merrimac, N. H., Oct. 14, 1772, "in which honorable position," says his historian, " he remained until his death, Dec. 6, 1821, a period of more than forty- nine years."
Rev. Aaron Bancroft, D. D., son of Samuel, Esq., Harvard, class of 1778, settled in Worcester in 1785, where he died in 1839, aged 84. He was father of George Bancroft the historian, and published several works. He shouldered his musket as a volunteer at Lexington and Bunker Hill.
Rev. Edmund Foster, a graduate of Yale, 1778, was ordained third pastor of the church in Littleton, in 1781. He died in 1826. Early in the war of the Revolution he was very active in the cause of the people, and was one of the minute men that enlisted under the command of Dr. (afterward Gov.) John Brooks, who then resided here.
Nathaniel Parker, Harvard, class of 1779, studied medicine, and settled at Salem.
Thomas Pratt, son of Isaac, lived where N. P. Pratt, Esq., now lives, graduated at Dartmouth, 1798. Spent some time as teacher, and finally became a merchant at Mechanicsburg, Pa.
Rev. Nathan Parker, Harvard, 1803. Became D. D., and settled in Portsmouth, N. H., where he remained as pastor nearly thirty years. He is said to have been "successful almost without a parallel in the ministries of the growing denomination to which he belonged." Those who remember him say he was a man of talent, genial, and very unas- suming. He was born and lived where Mr. James Davis resides, and was brother of Hon. Edmund Parker.
Jonathan D. Weston, son of Capt. Jonathan, Cambridge, 1802. Became a prominent lawyer, removed to Eastport, Me. Said to have been "one of the smartest men ever raised in Reading." He served also as collector of the port. There was a Judge Weston, at Eastport, erroneously supposed by some to have been Jonathan, the lawyer.
Elias Upton, Harvard, 1802, lived for a time with his brother where Dr. Kimball lives. Was a successful teacher. Went to Blue Hill, Me.
Daniel Temple, Dartmouth, class of 1817; Andover Theological
.
476
GENEALOGICAL HISTORY
Seminary in 1820 ; ordained in 1821 ; went as a missionary to Malta in 1822 ; removed to Smyrna in 1833; returned to the United States in 1844 ; died August 9, 1851, at the house of his brother, Dea. M. M. Temple, at the age of 61, and was buried in this town. His funeral sermon was preached by Rev. Mr. Goodell, the Missionary with whom he had long been associated, both as a classmate and in missionary interests. Mr. Goodell said "among the various nations and tribes and sects of the East, his name is held in high estimation. . . . He evidently endeavored to be as upright, sincere, cordial, gentle, kind, benevolent, economical, true, and good, as he expected everybody would be in the millennium." His life and letters, forming an interesting volume of nearly 500 pages, were published in 1855.
John Batchelder, Harvard, 1823. He taught school in Nantucket for some time, and in 1827 opened an Academy here in a building erected for that purpose and designed in part for a church, by the Uni- tarian society that then existed in town. The building stood on the present site of the residence of Dr. F. F. Brown. The school pros- pered for many years, and numbers of young men from this and the surrounding towns were fitted here for college. Mr. Batchelder was succeeded in 1843 by a Mr. Waitt, who soon gave up the school here and opened one in Greenwood, where the inebriate asylum of Dr. Day has recently been established. The academy was converted into a dwelling-house, and is now the residence of H. G. Richardson, Esq. Mr. Batchelder served the town for thirty years with distinguished ability as one of their school committee, commencing in 1828, and con- tinuing nearly every year until 1863. He was also once chosen Rep- resentative to the General Court, and served some years as selectman. He died July 7, 1871, aged 80 years 2 months 12 days.
Rev. Benj. Wyman Parker, Amherst, 1829; Andover, 1832. Went as a missionary to the Sandwich Islands the same year. He still re- sides there. He has also a son settled there as pastor. It is no small honor to have been one of the band that have lifted a nation from paganism to Christianity.
Rev. George Nichols, son of James, graduated at Yale, and studied theology at New Haven, but never preached much. Was a successful teacher for a term of years at New Haven and Hadley, and for a long term at Springfield, Mass., where he died at the age of 46.
Rev. Cyrus Nichols, brother of Rev. George, graduated at Williams, and studied theology at Auburn. Has long been in the service of the Home Missionary Society, first in Missouri, now in Wisconsin.
Rev. Warren Nichols, another brother, graduated at Williams and
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OF THE TOWN OF READING.
Andover, and labored also in Missouri for the Home Mission, till his death.
Adams Nichols, M. D., practised at Rockport, Mass., but removed to Quincy, Illinois, where he has an extensive field of labor, and is a pop- ular physician. He is brother of the three last named. Their sister, Mrs. Oliver Peabody, still resides here.
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