Genealogy and history of representative citizens of the commonwealth of Massachusetts, Part 65

Author: Hurd, Charles Edwin, 1833-1910
Publication date: 1902
Publisher: Boston, New England historical publishing company
Number of Pages: 850

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near the Boston & Maine Railroad Station at Malden as he was going to Melrose on business. He was run over by an express train while his boot heel was caught between the rail and planking. In politics Mr. Barker was a Re- publican. He was a member of the Masonic Order, belonging to Orange Lodge, F. & A. M., and Union Chapter, R. A. M. Dili- gent in business from his youth, upright and honorable in his dealings, he was a highly esteemed citizen.

Mr. Barker is survived by his wife, whose maiden name was Anna Maria Simonds, and two children: Anna Josephine, born October 8, 1861; and Clarace Evangeline, born Octo- ber 10, 1869, now the wife of Irving L. Boss, of Valley Falls, N. Y., and mother of one child - Marjory Evangeline Boss, born Au- gust 5, 1893.

Mrs. Barker was born at Marlboro, N. H., in 1835, daughter of Nelson Guy and Anna Palmer (Partridge) Simonds, and one of a family of four children. She has a brother George and a sister Charlotte now living. Her father was b. August 23, 1806, in Bur- lington, Vt. Her mother was b. in 1810, daughter of Deacon Ezekiel and Anna (Morey) Partridge, of Walpole, Mass. Anna Morey was the eldest daughter of the Rev. George and Anna (Palmer) Morey, of Walpole, Mass. Her father was b. at Norton, Mass., Decem- ber 18, 1749 (old style), son of George, Jr., and Mary 4 (Hodges) Morey, and grandson of George, Sr., and Elizabeth4 (Hodges) Morey. Elizabeth+ was a daughter of John3 Hodges (John, 2 William1). Mary4 Hodges, wife of George Morey, Jr., and mother of the Rev. George Morey, was b. in 1726, a daughter of Major Joseph3 Hodges, of Norton (Henry,2 William'), and his first wife, Bethiah Will- iams, daughter of Thomas and Mary (Macey) Williams, of Taunton. Thomas Williams was a descendant of Richard' Williams, one of the first purchasers of Taunton, Mass. (1637), and his wife, Frances Dighton, sister to Kathe- rine, wife of Governor Thomas Dudley. The Rev. George Morey was graduated at Harvard College in 1776, and ordained minister of the church at Walpole, Mass., November 19, 1783. It is said that he was the "seventh

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George in direct line from his immigrant pro- genitor, who came from England." He d. at Walpole, July 26, 1829, in the forty-sixth year of his ministry. He m. June 22, 1784, Anna, daughter of the Rev. Joseph Palmer, of Nor- ton (Harvard College, 1747). He had six children, namely : George, who d. in infancy ; Anna; George (second) ; Mary; Lucy, who m. Lemuel Mills; and Palmer. The second son, George, b. June 12, 1789 (Harvard College, 18II), studied law, and practised in Boston. He d. May 11, 1866, and was buried at Mount Auburn. He m. Fanny Buckminster; had no children. He endowed the Morey scholarship at Harvard for the benefit of any descendant of his father who might desire it. If at any time there be no such applicant, the income can be given to a student satisfactory to the govern- ment of the University. His brother Palmer left a son, George Palmer Morey; and his son, George Palmer, Jr., has a son, George Palmer Morey (third).

EORGE SYLVANUS EVANS, of Cambridge, was born at Cardigan, Wales, September 12, 1841. . His parents, William and Elizabeth (Thomas) Evans, were natives of Wales, and of Welsh ancestry. They had eleven children, only two of whom - Louisa Jane and George Sylvanus -are now living. Louisa Jane, who is the widow of John Chadbourne, and the mother of several children, resides in Gloucester, Eng- land. One of her sons was killed while in active service in the Boer War in South Africa.

George Sylvanus Evans, with his brother Henry Nugent, came to Canada in 1849, and settled in Montreal, George being then but eight years old. He was educated in the pub- lic schools, and learned the printer's trade. In 1862 he removed to Cambridge, Mass., where he found employment in a printing office. On January 18, 1864, he fully identi- fied himself with the interests of his adopted country by enlisting for three years in Com- pany I of the Fifty-sixth Massachusetts Vet- eran Volunteer Infantry. His regiment was attached to the Ninth Corps of the army of the Potomac, and participated in the battles of. the

Wilderness, Spottsylvania, North Anna, Cold Harbor, Petersburg (including the battle of the crater), Weldon Railroad, Hatcher's Run, and Poplar Spring Church, besides many minor skirmishes. From a private Mr. Evans became a Corporal, and later was promoted to the rank of Sergeant. During the winter of 1864-65, he had charge of the Ninth Army Corps printing office on the field before Peters- burg, Va. He was honorably discharged at the close of the war, July 12, 1865.

On his return to civil lite Mr. Evans re- sumed his former occupation of printer in Cambridge, and continued in it until August 26, 1873, when he received an appointment as railway postal clerk. He was promoted to the position of head clerk March 23, 1877. In 1884 he became chief clerk in the railway mail service. He resigned this office in 1887, and was again occupied as a printer until June, 1889, when he was appointed Post-office In- spector in charge of the Boston division, com- prising the New England States. He was removed from office by President Cleveland, December 1, 1893, and reappointed to the same position June 1, 1897. Elected to the State Legislature from Cambridge in 1896, he served on the Committee on Military Affairs, on the Committee of Impeachment of Norfolk County Commissioner, and as monitor of the Fourth Division of the House. He resigned his seat in 1897, his second year in the Leg- islature, to accept the position of inspector in charge of the New England division of the Post-office department, which he had held previously, and which he holds at the present time.

Mr. Evans is a prominent member of numer- ous social organizations. He is a Past Com- mander of Post 30, G. A. R., of Cambridge, and was Commander of the Department of Massachusetts, G. A. R., in 1883; Inspector- general of the United States G. A. R. in 1891 ; and was president of the Veteran Asso- ciation of the Massachusetts Legislature. He was one of the founders of the Massachusetts Soldiers' Home, and a member of the Board of Trustees since the incorporation of the Home. He has been secretary of the Board for the past seventeen years. He is also a member of the

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Citizens' Trade Association and the Middlesex Club, of Cambridge.

Mr. Evans was married August 10, 1868, to Emma Frances, daughter of Abraham and Hannah (Baldwin) Cooledge, of Hillsboro, N. H. They have five children, all of whom were born in Cambridge: Louisa Cooledge, b. July 4, 1869; Mabel Abby, b. June 5, 1871 ; Ethel Frances, b. July 24, 1873; William Henry, b. October 29, 1875; and George Alfred, b. September 26, 1883. Ethel Frances was married October 17, 1901, to Buenos Ayres Weeks, of Dorchester, Mass.

B ENJAMIN SPRAGUE, a respected resident of Lynn, long retired from active business life, was born in that city August 2, 1819, son of Pre- served and Joanna (Trask) Sprague. He is a descendant of William' Sprague, who came to Salem, Massachusetts Bay Colony, in 1628 or 1629, accompanied by his brothers, Ralph and Richard. They were the sons of Edward Sprague, of Upway, Dorsetshire, England. William1 Sprague was a settler at Hingham, Mass., as early as 1636. He m. in 1631 Melicent Eames (daughter of Anthony1 Eames), by whom he had ten children. His death took place in 1675.

Jonathan2 Sprague, son of William1 and Melicent, was b. at Hingham in 1648. He removed to Mendon, Mass., and thence to Rhode Island, residing first in Providence and afterward in the town of Smithfield, where he d. in 1741. He m. Mehitable Holbrook, daughter of William and Elizabeth Holbrook, of Weymouth, Mendon, and Scituate. Jona- than Sprague was evidently a man of strong character. He was one of the most prominent and influential citizens of his town, and served frequently in public office. He was Deputy to the Rhode Island Assembly in 1695, 1696, 1698, 1700, 1702, 1712, and 1714; was a Jus- tice of the Peace in 1702; Speaker of the House of Deputies in 1703; and member of the Town Council eight years, 1705-12. Of a decidedly religious bent, he professed the Baptist faith, and preached as an exhorter.

William3 Sprague, generally known as "Cap-

tain William Sprague," the next in the line of descent under present consideration, was b. in Smithfield, R. I., and d. in 1768. The maiden name of his wife is not known ; but he had two or more children, the names of two - Sarah and Joshua - being recorded. Careful inves- tigation renders it probable, indeed, almost certain, that he had another son - Nehemiah - who must be considered as next in line of descent, as will presently appear, and who probably d. before his father William. This is, evidenced by the following facts : -

William's daughter Sarah m. William Sly. In 1740 William3 Sprague deeded to his daugh- ter, Sarah Sly, and husband William, "for love," eleven and one-third acres. In 1750 he deeded, "for love," etc., to his "dutiful and obedient son Joshua," the half of lands in Smithfield and Cumberland, three hundred acres, and dwelling on easterly part of home- stead, and one-half the house. February 9, 1754, he and his son Joshua made a division of lands above deeded. In 1762 he bought of Joshua and wife Abigail certain land, etc., for one thousand, two hundred and fifty dollars. April 15, 1768, he deeded for love to his duti- ful grandsons, Elias and Nehemiah, and for his "honorable maintenance," all the house- hold farm where he dwelt. (Austin's Genea- logical Dictionary of Rhode Island.) Now, according to the printed records of Smithfield, R. I., "Nehemiah Sprague, son of Nehemiah," was there m. by David Mowry, Jr., justice, May 26, 1770, to Alice Bassett, of Gloucester. There was a Nehemiah Sprague, evidently of an earlier generation, who was m. in 1738 by David Comstock, justice, to Mary or Mercy Brown; and it is not unlikely that he may be the Nehemiah sought for, son of William and father of the Nehemiah Sprague who m. Alice Bassett. This latter Nehemiah had a brother Elias, already mentioned, who was m. by Ste- phen Sly, justice, August 5, 1764, to Mercy Bassett, a sister of Alice, and who is next in line of descent, being the grandfather of the subject of this sketch. Alice and Mercy were daughters of Joseph Bassett, of Gloucester, R. I., a town adjoining Smithfield on the west. The town of Smithfield, incorporated in 1730, was previously a part of the town of Providence.

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In the history of Woonsocket (formerly a part of Smithfield) we read (page 203) : "For up- ward of a century the Spragues were prominent actors in the religious and political history of old Smithfield." Elias and Nehemiah Sprague and their wives were members of the Society of Friends. They were farmers in Smithfield, their farms adjoining each other.

Elias5 Sprague, above referred to, was b. in Smithfield, June 16, 1744, in all probability, therefore, son of Nehemiah, 4 and certainly grandson of William3 Sprague, above men- tioned. He d. in Douglass, Mass., February 15, 1799. It is not known precisely when Elias removed to Douglass, but he was living there December 21, 1792, on that date he and his wife Mercy deeding the homestead, of one hundred and ten acres, to Moses Ballou and John Coe for three hundred and ninety pounds, silver money. Elias Sprague made his will in March, 1798, and on February 20 of that year he deeded one hundred acres in Douglass to Obed Morse for one thousand, three hundred and thirty-three dollars, thirty-three cents. His will was proved in court May 7, 1799, and his sons Stephen and Preserved were executors. They gave bond in ten thousand dollars, and the estate amounted to five thousand, eight hun- dred and thirty-eight dollars, fifty-two cents. His children were: Jonathan, b. December 9, 1765; Theodate, b. January 4, 1768; Amy, b. October 6, 1769; Benjamin, b. April 10, 1771; Lavinia, b. August 12, 1773; Stephen, b. November 18, 1775; Preserved, b. October 17, 1777; Thankful, b. October 19, 1779; William, b. June 3, 1782; Alice, b. August 9, 1784; Elias, and Lucina, whose birth dates have not been ascertained.

Preserved6 Sprague removed about 1805 to Lynn, Mass., and there he remained a resident for the rest of his life, which closed December 18, 1848. He m. Joanna Trask, whose father was a man of substance, owning a mill and water-power. The following facts show that the Spragues and Trasks intermarried about that time, and throw considerable light upon Joanna's antecedents. Preserved Sprague's brother Jonathan (b. 1765) m. Patience Pixley, whose mother in maidenhood was Sarah Trask, and she (Patience) was brought up by her

mother's brother, Jonathan Trask, of Mendon, Mass. This Jonathan Trask had two children of his own, Elijah and Joanna. It is extremely likely, therefore, that his daughter was the Joanna Trask who m. Preserved6 Sprague.

Jonathan and Patience (Pixley) Sprague had a son, Jonathan, Jr., who m. Mary A. Whipple, and had nine children, among them Homer B., b. October 19, 1829, who was a Colonel in the Civil War, commanding his regiment with skill and gallantry at the battle of Winchester, and who is now well known as a historian, teacher, and lecturer.

A brother of Jonathan Sprague, Jr., was Lee Sprague, father of the Hon. A. B. R. Sprague, former Mayor of Worcester, a Colonel in the Civil War, brevetted Brigadier-general, who is president of the Sprague Association, and skilled in genealogical lore of this branch of the family. To him we are indebted for valu- able aid in preparing this article.

Preserved and Joanna (Trask) Sprague were the parents of nine children - Lydia, Maria, Lamson, Emma, William, Elijah, Benjamin, Mary, and Henry, beside two, the first and second b., who d. in infancy.

Benjamin Sprague was educated in the pub- lic schools of Lynn. When a young man he learned the trade of shoemaking, the staple industry of his native city, which he followed for some years. In 1849, the year after his father's death, he joined the throng of gold- seekers, and made the voyage, by way of the Isthmus of Panama, to California, where he remained for four years. In 1855 he engaged in the business of shoe manufacturing at Lynn, Mass. This he followed until 1869, when he retired from active business life. He was on the Board of Aldermen from 1861 to 1865. Mr. Sprague has a pleasant home at 145 Ocean Street. He was married in 1839 to Susan Emily Ireson, of Lynn, a daughter of Captain John and Eliza (Bulfinch) Ireson. She bore him six children, four of whom died in infancy. The two survivors were Charles Otis and Henry Breed. Charles Otis Sprague died at the age of forty-seven years, in 1887. He married Mary Elizabeth Morrill, and had two sons - William Chase and George Everett, both residents of Lynn. William Chase

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Sprague married Susan Downing, and has three children - Benjamin, Edith, and George Will- iam. Henry Breed Sprague, who lives in Swampscott and is engaged in the coal business as a member of the firm of Sprague & Breed, is president of the Central National Bank, of Lynn. He married Laura L. Brown, daughter of Joseph Gould and Katharine M. (Bostwick) Brown, of Lynn, and has two children - How- ard Burnham and Charles Henry. Mrs. Susan E. Sprague died in 1858, and Mr. Sprague married for his second wife, in 1867, Mary Jane Pratt, daughter of Aaron and Abigail (Eames) Pratt, of South Framingham, Mass. Of this marriage there was one child - Her- bert, born March 19, 1872, who died at the age of seventeen months.

LVIN DAVIS PUFFER, a venerable and respected citizen of Medford, was born November 14, 1819, in Bolton, Mass., and comes from early Colo-

nial stock. On the paternal side he is a direct descendant of George Puffer, the immigrant ancestor, the lineage being as follows : George,1 James,2 Captain Jabez, 3 Jabez, 4 Daniel,5 Jacob,6 and Alvin Davis7.

George' Puffer received from the town of Boston a grant of twenty acres of land in 1640 at Mount Wollaston, afterward Braintree, his land lying in that part of the old town that is now Quincy. James2 Puffer, probably the elder son of George' Puffer, was b. about 1624. In 1656 he m. Mary Swalden, as the name is printed in the Braintree records, al- though a history of Sudbury gives it Ludden. Jabez3 Puffer, b. in 1672, d. in 1746. He removed to Sudbury in 1712, and was there known as Captain Jabez Puffer. In 1702 he m. Mary Glazier, by whom he had seven chil- dren, among them Jabez,4 b. in 1705, and Samuel, b. in 1707. Jabez+ Puffer's first wife, Thankful Haynes, d. in 1737. His second wife, Hannah Treadway, daughter of Benja- min, of Framingham, was the mother of Dan- iel5 Puffer, b. in 1746, who lived at Sudbury. Daniel5 Puffer m. July 5, 1770, Mary Balcom, who bore him four children, namely: Ezra, Daniel, Jacob,6 and Axie. Jacob6 Puffer, a

native of Sudbury, was there engaged in agri- cultural pursuits the greater part of his active life, and d. in 1824. He m. Mary Lovering, daughter of Jonas Lovering, of Sudbury. They had three children, as follows: Luther B., b. at Bolton, Mass., who was accidentally burned to death when three years of age; Alvin Davis, the special subject of this brief sketch; and Jabez, b. in Stow, who d. in infancy.

Alvin Davis7 Puffer pursued his early studies in Stow, attending first the district schools and then the academy, and completed his education at the Ashby Academy in Ashby, Mass. After learning the trade of a locksmith and machinist at a country machine shop, he was for awhile employed at Hooper's Foundry in manufactur- ing lamps and gas fixtures. In 1842 he began business on his own account, manufacturing lamps and gas fixtures in Boston for two years. He then added to his former business the man- ufacture of soda-fountains, being the third man to embark in the latter venture as an exclusive business, the firm of Morse & Fletcher having preceded him in this line. The business was then small, the two firms employing at that time not more than fifteen workmen. In 1864 the business had assumed such proportions that he needed assistance in its management, and admitted to partnership his three sons - Al- vin D., Jr., Daniel J., and Luther W .- the firm name becoming A. D. Puffer & Sons Man- ufacturing Company. This firm, located at 44, 46, and 48 Portland Street, Boston, carried on a large business for several years, manufact- uring and shipping fountains and fixtures to all parts of this country, Europe, Africa, Asia, and Central and South America. In 1891 the firms of J. W. Tufts, A. D. Puffer & Sons, and Charles Lippincott & Sons combined under the name of the American Soda Fountain Com- pany, and Mr. Puffer was chosen vice-presi- dent, an office that he filled four years, when he withdrew from management of the firm. During his connection with the soda-fountain business, Mr. Puffer secured thirty-seven pat- ents relating to that line of manufactures. Since 1891 he has been engaged in the real estate business in Boston, devoting himself largely to the attention of his Washington

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Street and other property. He has lived part of the years since 1876 in Medford, his legal residence being in Derry, N. H., where he makes his summer home.

Mr. Puffer has been twice married. The maiden name of his first wife was Sarah Mer- cer Balcom. She was born in Concord, Mass., April 5, 1825, and died in Somerville, Mass., February 11, 1861. He married, second, Carrie Elizabeth Coffin, of Haverhill, Mass. Six children were born of the first union, namely : Alvin Davis, Jr., Fannie, Louisa, Daniel J., Luther W., and Sarah M. (usually called Sadie) ; and five of the second, as follows: Ella Fannie, Carrie E., Edith L., Alice M., and Mary A. Alvin D. Puffer, Jr., having received his education in the Somer- ville schools, was engaged in business with his father until 1891. He is now a machinist, residing in Lexington, Mass. He married a Miss Dresser. Frances H. Puffer married C. N. Gibbs, and now lives at South Framing- ham. Louisa, the wife of Robert J. Davis, lives in London, England.

Daniel J., who was formerly engaged in the soda-fountain business with his father, is now engaged in manufacturing soda-fountains and fix- tures on his own account at 44 Portland Street, Boston. He married Nellie S. Manning.

Luther was formerly a member of the firm of A. D. Puffer & Sons, and is now in busi- ness with his brother Daniel under the firm name of Puffer Manufacturing Company. He married Laura Woods, and resides in Medford. Ella F. is the wife of A. B. Scott and is now living in Geneva, Switzerland. Sadie M. is the widow of the late Charles Douglas, and resides in England. Carrie E. is the wife of Arthur Nelson, of Medford. Edith is the wife of Edmond Moore, of Medford. Alice, who married Joseph Strittmatter, lives in the city of Mexico. Mary A. married W. Mel- ville Kerr, and resides in Stamford, Conn. Mr. and Mrs. Puffer attend the Congregational Church in Derry, N. H. Their descendants now living number eleven children, twenty- three grandchildren and one great-grandchild. Both enjoy fairly good health, Mr. Puffer being now eighty-two and Mrs. Puffer sixty- six years old.

ILLIAM ERSKINE BARKER, of Malden, Mass., was born in Lynn- field Centre, Mass., August 19, 1865, son of Thomas E. and Elzina Florence (Whittredge) Barker. He is a descendant in the seventh generation of James' Barker, who came from England early in the seventeenth century and settled in Rhode Island.

Mr. James O. Austin, in an article on the "Barker Ancestry " in the Newport Historical Magazine, vol. I., begins his record with men- tion of John Barker (date of birth and death unknown), who m. Elizabeth Hill, sister of Sir Rowland Hill, the first Protestant Lord Mayor of London, in 1549, and quotes this from a family manuscript : "Coat of arms, five escalop shells in a cross, was conferred by Robert Cooke 17th December, 1582, to Row- land Barker, of Wollerton, in the county of Salop, son and heir of Edward Barker, eldest son of John Barker and Elizabeth his wife, and co-heir to Sir Rowland Hill." Mr. Austin adds, "Rowland Barker had one son, James." He then speaks of a "James Barker who died in 1634, on ship 'Mary and John,' " and con- tinues, "He is called in family manuscript a legal descendant of Rowland Barker, and fur- ther designated as 'James Barker, of Harwich, county Essex, England.'"

James' Barker, the founder of the. Rhode Island branch of the Barker family in Amer- ica, embarked with his father James, of Har- wich, on the ship "Mary and John," which left Southampton for New England, March 24, 1634. According to Mr. Austin's Genealogi- cal Dictionary of Rhode Island, published a few years later than his magazine article above referred to, James' was b. in 1623, and was the third James in direct line, his father and his grandfather in England bearing that name. James' Barker, on his arrival, a lad of eleven years, if the date of birth is correct, went to live in Charlestown, Mass., with his aunt Christianna, his father's sister, then the wife of Captain Thomas Beecher, master of the ship "Talbot." This aunt, after the death of Captain Beecher, who was her second husband, m. Nicholas Easton, who also had come over on the "Mary and John " in 1634, and who in 1638, the year of their marriage, was admitted

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an inhabitant of Aquidneck, R.I. James' Barker removed with his aunt to Rhode Island. He became in after years a citizen of promi- nence in the colony. The family manuscript speaks of him as a "teaching brother among the Baptists many years." In 1644 he was Corporal; in 1648 Ensign and a member of the General Court ; in 1655, 1661, and 1663 a Com- missioner; and in 1663 named among those appearing in the royal charter granted by Charles II. He was an assistant nine years, Deputy in 1667 and in eleven later years, and was Deputy Governor after the death of Gover- nor Coddington. He m. about 1644 Bar- bara, daughter of William Dungan and his wife Frances, who was a daughter of Lewis Latham.

James2 Barker, b. in 1648, son of James' and Barbara, was admitted freeman in 1675. From 1687 he was called "Captain." He was Deputy ten years, and four years assistant. He m. about 1673 Sarah, daughter of William Jeffries (or Jefferay), and had eight children. His son James, 3 b. December 4, 1675, was ad- mitted freeman in 1704, and from 1709 to 1717 was a Deputy to the General Assembly. In 1699 he m. Mary Cook, by whom he had nine children, James, 4 the next in line of descent, being the eldest child.

James4 Barker, b. December 30, 1700, was a member of the Town Council of Middletown, R. I., in 1743-46; was deputed to enlist sol- diers in 1758; and he or his son James5 was Deputy to the General Assembly 1758, 1759, 1761, 1762, 1763, 1768, and 1769, and in 1772 and 1773 assistant. His first wife was Mary Peckham, and his second wife Margaret Weeden, who d. in 1785, at the age of eighty- four years. (Newport Historical Magasine.)

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Genealogy and history of representative citizens of the commonwealth of Massachusetts, Part 65

Author: Hurd, Charles Edwin, 1833-1910 Publication date: 1902 Publisher: Boston, New England historical publishing company Number of Pages: 850

Author: Hurd, Charles Edwin, 1833-1910
Publication date: 1902
Publisher: Boston, New England historical publishing company
Number of Pages: 850