USA > Massachusetts > Hampden County > Hampden county, 1636-1936, Volume III > Part 12
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INDIVIDUAL AND FAMILY RECORDS
three children of Clinton L. and Kathryn (Luchsinger) Roberts, both of Stockbridge and both living. His brother, Arthur Clin- ton Roberts, is an optician of Springfield, and his sister Helen, is the wife of Donald Hollister, of Arlington, this State.
Dr. Roberts went to school in Stockbridge and Springfield, and matriculated at Tufts Medical College, from which he was gradu- ated in 1920, with the degree of Doctor of Medicine. He served interneships in the Springfield Hospital and the Evangeline Booth Hospital, Boston. For three months he pursued post-graduate studies of the Roentgen ray and radium in the Boston City Hospital, and took special courses in the treatment of nose and throat diseases at the Boston Dispensary. Dr. Roberts reversed the usual trend in which the Canadian- trained physician goes to the "States" to practice; he went to Digby, Nova Scotia, where in 1922 he established himself in a general practice and soon became an out- standing figure in the professional circles of the community. He was largely instru- mental in founding the Digby General Hos- pital and manifested a gift for leadership that caused his return to the United States, after five years, to be greatly regretted by the people of Digby. In 1927 Dr. Roberts became a physician and surgeon of Spring- field, Massachusetts, and has since continued his successful career. He is assistant sur- geon at the Springfield Hospital, and is also affiliated with the Wesson Maternity Hos- pital.
Dr. Roberts is a member of the Spring- field Academy of Medicine, the Springfield Medical Association, the Massachusetts State Medical Society and the American Medical Association. During the World War period he was a member of the Medical Reserve Corps, United States Army. Fra- ternally he is affiliated with Longmeadow Lodge, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons,
of which he is Master; Eureka Chapter, Royal Arch Masons; Yarmouth Council (Nova Scotia) ; Springfield Commandery, Knights Templar; and Melha Temple, An- cient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine. Among his clubs are the Kiwanis and the Longmeadow Country, and he is a member of the First Church of Christ, Long- meadow.
On April 11, 1922, Harry Lewis Roberts, M. D., married Charlotte Louise Andrews, of Springfield, and they are the parents of two children : Harry Lewis, Jr., and Judith Andrews.
LAFAYETTE CLOWE REYNOLDS-
As comptroller and assistant to the presi- dent of the American Writing Paper Com- pany, Inc., during the past nine years, La- fayette C. Reynolds has occupied an impor- tant place in Hampden County industry. He is an engineer of long experience and distin- guished record whose career has been spent as a leading executive in the service of sev- eral large Eastern and Middle Western in- dustrial corporations, principally the Gen- eral Electric and the General Motors.
Mr. Reynolds was born at Amsterdam, New York, on July 19, 1883, a son of Syl- vester Sweet and Mary (Hoeflinger) Rey- nolds. His father (a son of William J. and Maria Reynolds) was born on a farm near Schenectady, New York, and died in that city. He was a typical Mohawk Valley farmer of the past century who combined farming with broom manufacturing. Throughout his active life he was a member of the Baptist Church and of the Republican party. His forebears early settled in Hart- ford, Connecticut, and have served in every war of the Union. His wife, who was born in Amsterdam, daughter of a Civil War veteran, is still living and makes her home at Batavia, New York.
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Lafayette C. Reynolds received his pre- In 1923, however, he entered upon a three liminary education in the public schools of Fonda, New York, where he completed the high school course in 1899. In 1903 he was graduated from Union College with the de- gree of Bachelor of Engineering, and for the following four years was engaged in engi- neering work on the Barge Canal, in the en- gineering department of the General Elec- tric Company, in the engineering depart- ment of the city of New York, and with the New York Central Railroad Company. In this latter connection, his duties were con- cerned principally with the laying out of the track system in Grand Central Terminal, a project of which he was in charge during the early period of construction when provision was made for the now existing large build- ings covering that area. From 1907 to 1912 Mr. Reynolds was again employed by the General Electric Company, having charge of the development and equipment of the new plant in Erie, Pennsylvania. Begin- ning in 1912 and for six years thereafter, he was associated with the General Vehicle Company, a subsidiary of General Electric, as factory manager of its plant in Long Island City. During the latter part of this time, when the war was under way, he was in charge of filling a large order for airplane engines, first for Great Britain and later for the United States. As a result of this ex- perience, he was appointed, in 1918, consult- ing engineer to the General Motors Corpo- ration on the manufacture of the Liberty airplane engine. Subsequently he organized the new motor plant of the Oakland Motor Car Company in Pontiac, Michigan, and later built, organized and was in charge of the Saginaw Motor plant of the General Motor Corporation. His association with General Motors terminated in 1920, and for the following three years he held no official connection, spending most of his time on his extensive farm near Rochester, New York.
years engagement as works manager with the Elliott-Fisher Company in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and at the end of that time came to Holyoke, where he has been comp- troller and assistant to the president of the American Writing Paper Company, Inc., since 1926. He is particularly concerned with the engineering, purchasing, research and financial activities of the company and has assumed many important responsibili- ties in these connections. He has been re- sponsible for consolidating and moving the previously scattered mills of that company into Holyoke.
Mr. Reynolds is a member of the Techni- cal Association of the Pulp and Paper In- dustry, the Engineering Society of Western Massachusetts and was formerly a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers and the Society of Automotive Engineers. In addition to his professional connections, he is active in many Holyoke civic enter- prises and is a member of numerous local organizations. Mr. Reynolds founded and became first president of the Holyoke Tax- payers' Association and now serves as a member of its executive committee. He is a member of the executive committee of the Associated Industries of Massachusetts; a member of the Holyoke Chamber of Com- merce ; a director of Holyoke Council, Boy Scouts of America ; a member of the Young Men's Christian Association ; and a member of the Rotary Club, the Mt. Tom Golf Club, and the Holyoke Canoe Club. He is presi- dent of the Connecticut Valley Congrega- tional Club. Fraternally he is affiliated with Massapequa Lodge, No. 822, Free and Ac- cepted Masons, at Rockville Center, Long Island, and in this order is also a member of many higher bodies, including Bay State Consistory, thirty-second degree, Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite at Bay City, Michi- gan, and El Khurefeh Temple, Ancient
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Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine at Saginaw, Michigan. Mr. Reynolds is a Republican in politics and a member of the Second Congregational Church at Holyoke, where he serves as a member of the Men's Council, the church committee and as head of the Young Men's Department of the Sun- day school. He is fond of outdoor life and finds his principal diversion in his leisure hours passed at his mountain lodge "Sunny- top."
On June 4, 1907, at Mt. Vernon, New York, Lafayette C. Reynolds married Rose Loudon, who was born in New York City, daughter of Edwin L. and Esther (Brew- ster) Loudon, both deceased. Her father was a member of the New York firm of Lou- don and Son, importers. Her maternal grandmother, Lois Brewster, was born at Worthington, Massachusetts (eighth gener- ation of that famous family) and is buried in Northampton. Mrs. Reynolds attended the Mt. Vernon, New York, High School and subsequently was graduated from a girls' finishing school in the metropolitan district. She is active in many Holyoke in- stitutions, including the Second Congrega- tional Church where she serves as a member of the church committee, is head of the Young Women's Department of the Sunday School, and serves on the executive com- mittee of the Women's Guild ; the Women's Club, of which she is also vice-president ; the Young Women's Christian Association, of which she is a vice-president and a director with responsibility for the work of the Girl Reserves; the Delphian Society of which she is secretary ; and the International Re- lations Club. She is also a member of the board of the Youth Hostel at Mt. Holyoke College.
Mr. and Mrs. Reynolds are the parents of two children : 1. Brewster C., born August 21, 1914, who attended Worcester Academy and was graduated from Silver Bay School
for Boys on Lake George, New York. He is now. (1935) in his second year at the Uni- versity of Michigan, where he is studying aeronautical engineering. 2. Ruth Esther, born October 3, 1918, now attending North- ampton School for Girls, in preparation for later attendance at Mt. Holyoke College.
ERIC PETERSEN-The career of Eric Petersen is charged with high romance and adventure. A Danish citizen impressed into the German Imperial Army during the World War, he fought throughout the con- flict, was decorated for his gallantry and during the collapse that followed defeat was among the young men who formed the Ger- man Revolutionary Army which did out- standing service in fighting the spread of Bolshevism throughout that country. He returned to his native country, resumed his education and took an electrical engineer- ing degree. Ambitious, with a spirit full of adventure, he turned his eyes toward America and in 1928 finally made his way across the sea. He landed on our shores a stranger, unaccustomed to our ways of life and with an exceedingly limited knowledge of the English language. This, however, did not deter him in the successful path he has followed since that fateful day. Twenty- seven hours after he set foot on American soil he secured a position with the American Bosch Company in New York City, and soon thereafter was dispatched to the city of Springfield. Realizing his limitations, par- ticularly from a language viewpoint, he at- tended night school here and took quarters with an American family by the name of Ruscoe. William G. Ruscoe, member of the Springfield Fire Department, aided the young man greatly in mastering the Eng- lish language. Since that time Mr. Peter- sen has founded a business of his own under the firm name of the New England Motion Picture Equipment Corporation, which he
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directs with outstanding success and dis- tinction today.
Eric Petersen was born August 6, 1895, in Flensburg, Germany, son of Danish parents. He received a general education in the city of Copenhagen, Denmark, and was gradu- ated from high school there in 1913. Di- rectly after finishing his studies in the me- tropolis he determined to secure a technical training as an electrical engineer and went to Kiel, Germany, where he was engaged in installing underwater and deep sea sound devices for the German submarines. He had been there but a short time when the World War broke out. Though a Danish national he was German-born, a factor that led to his being called for service. He entered the Imperial Army and was later commissioned a lieutenant, holding that rank throughout the conflict. During his military career he saw action in some of the largest and fiercest engagements of the war. With the defeat of the German forces he went back into the interior of that country and was a member of the revolutionary army that aided in pre- venting the spread of Bolshevism. In 1920 he returned to Copenhagen and resumed his education at the Royal University in that city, receiving an electrical engineering de- gree from this institution in 1925. Three years later he came to this country, secured a position and was sent to Springfield, by the American Bosch Company of New York City. He worked here for that organization until 1931, when he entered business for himself, founding the New England Motion Picture Equipment Company, which, despite the depression, has grown to become a strong and substantial enterprise. This or- ganization deals in talking motion picture supplies and equipment for theatres, col- leges and schools and also arranges amplifi- cation facilities for public addresses. Dur- ing his association with the Bosch Company in this city Mr. Petersen not only acquired
valuable business experience but also mas- tered the English tongue, a factor that en- abled him to get into business for himself.
Mr. Petersen's war experiences have formed the basis for a series of lectures which he has given to distinguished audi- ences throughout Hampden County. His recitations of life at the German front, from the standpoint of a man who served in that army, have provoked great interest. Coupled with the interesting data he has on the strug- gle, Mr. Petersen also possesses a series of priceless pictures which he managed to take during the conflict, which he displays as lantern slides during his talks. The leading papers of this section of the State have given him splendid reviews on his lectures. Throughout his residence here Mr. Petersen has been interested in social and civic af- fairs and is a member of the Springfield Chamber of Commerce.
On February 23, 1932, Mr. Petersen mar- ried Catherine Moore, daughter of the late Charles J. Moore, who was associated with the Packard Motor Company in Detroit, Michigan. Mr. and Mrs. Petersen are the parents of one son, Peter Eric IV, born April 19, 1934. The family resides in Long- meadow.
THOMAS F. BURKE-Prominent in the legal realm of the city of Springfield and vicinity is Thomas F. Burke, who for over ten years has conducted a large and lucra- tive practice in Indian Orchard. As one of the outstanding citizens of the latter com- munity he is prominently affiliated with the leading social and civic organizations of that place and through his efforts has contributed substantially to the welfare and progress of his surroundings.
Mr. Burke was born in Springfield, May I, 1895, son of Thomas F. and Mary A. (Meenagham) Burke, the former a native of this State, the latter of Ireland. His father,
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who is deceased, as is his mother, engaged in the contracting business during his life. Mr. Burke received a general education in the public schools of his native community. After being graduated from the Central High School in this city he matriculated at Holy Cross College where he was awarded a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1919. He then took graduate work at Georgetown Univer- sity, receiving a Master of Arts degree from that institution in 1921 and in 1922 was graduated from there with a degree of Bach- elor of Laws. The following year he was admitted to the Massachusetts State Bar and embarked on a professional career that has since proved outstanding for its success. He maintains offices in Springfield and In- dian Orchard.
As a resident of Indian Orchard he has taken a keen and active interest in social and civic affairs. Today he is president of the Indian Orchard Chamber of Commerce, a post to which he was elected in 1934; is chairman of district No. 9, for the Boy Scouts of America ; serves as a member of the board of directors of the Ludlow Hos- pital; is a member and judge advocate of Indian Orchard Post, No. 277, of the Ameri- can Legion, where he is also Past Com- mander and Past Judge Advocate for the county ; and fraternizes with the local coun- cil of the Knights of Columbus. He finds his greatest recreation in the game of golf.
Mr. Burke enlisted in the United States Navy for World War service in 1918 and was commissioned an ensign. At the time the Armistice was signed he was a student at the Ensign School of Harvard University. Mr. Burke resides at No. 84 Westminster Street, Springfield.
THE SESSIONS FAMILY-For more than a century and a half the Sessions fam- ily has been identified with the history of that section of Wilbraham now known as
Hampden. Robert Sessions, who was an original settler, and progenitor of the fam- ily under consideration, took an active part in the "Boston tea party" and was an officer in the struggle for independence of the colonies that followed. Representatives of the family in all subsequent generations have been active factors for good in the civil, ecclesiastical and industrial history of the town.
(I) The family lineage is traced to Alex- ander Sessions of Andover, Massachusetts, where he was one of the proprietors in 1664, his name appearing in early documents as "Suskins" and "Sutchins." He married, April 24, 1672, Elizabeth Spofford, daughter of Job Spofford, of Rowley, and died about 1688.
(II) Nathaniel Sessions, born in Andover, August 8, 1681, located at Pomfret, Con- necticut, as early as 1704, and became a large landowner. He died in 1771.
(III) Amasa Sessions, son of Nathaniel Sessions, was born in Pomfret, Connecticut. August 13, 1715, and married Hannah Mil- ler, who was born at Rehoboth, Massachu- setts. He died in 1799.
(IV) Robert Sessions, son of Amasa and Hannah (Miller) Sessions, born March 15, 1752, in Pomfret, Connecticut, when a young man went to Boston where he secured em- ployment with a lumber dealer. He took part in the famous "Boston tea party" in 1773 as a volunteer assistant, but not as a disguised Indian, and because he was known as a participant, he was compelled to leave town. He enlisted for service in the Rev- olutionary War and rose to the rank of lieu- tenant, serving with ability throughout the war.
It is related that when as a soldier and living in Pomfret, Connecticut, he frequently passed through Wilbraham and, noting a choice site for a home he came to Wilbra-
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ham about 1780 and located on what is now a part of the Kellogg Farms, and there re- sided the rest of his life.
Robert Sessions rose to be a leading man in the community and filled important local offices of trust which included justice of the peace, town treasurer and clerk, representa- tive several terms, and moderator. He died September 27, 1836. He married, April 16, 1778, Anna Ruggles, of Pomfret, Connect- icut, who survived him, her death occurr- ing November 22, 1838, at the age of eighty- two years. They were the parents of thir- teen children, seven sons and six daughters.
(V) Robert Sessions, Jr., son of Robert and Anna (Ruggles) Sessions, born Febru- ary 2, 1783. in South Wilbraham, was a farmer who resided in what is now Hamp- den. He was originally a Congregation- alist, but, differing from some of its tenets as regarding predestination, withdrew from the church to organize the Methodist Church in 1830. He married Charlotte Bartlette Metcalf, of Lebanon, Connecticut, in May, ISII. and they had eight children as fol- lows: I. George Metcalf, married Mary M. . Filley. 2. Elizabeth Ann, died unmarried. 3. Robert Oscar, married Emily Stebbins. 4. Charlotte Maria, married John W. Gris- wold. 5. Clarissa Jane, married David Par- milee Robinson of Blandford, Massachu- setts. 6. Nancy Janette, never married. 7. Joseph Bradford, never married. 8. Horace Mills, of whom further.
(VI) Horace Mills Sessions, son of Rob- ert, Jr., and Charlotte Bartlette (Metcalf) Sessions, was born in South Wilbraham, on January 23, 1828. He was reared as a farmer boy of the period. He lived in Hampden on the farm, now owned and occupied by Frederick M. Jones of Springfield, as a sum- mer home, until 1881 when he disposed of it and went to Atlanta, Georgia, where for
several years he was superintendent of a farm owned by the A. M. A. The later years of his life were spent with his daughters at Columbus, Ohio, where he died in 1907, but was buried in Hampden. He served as rep- resentative from Hampden in 1876 and held a few minor town offices. He married, in July, 1856, Juliette Lord. of Westfield, daughter of Charles G. and Lydia (Phelps) Lord. She died January 26. 1876, aged forty-seven years. Their children were: I. Elizabeth. 2. Charles Robert, died young. 3. Mary, died young. 4. Elvira, died young. 5. Homer Lord and (6) Horace Robert (twins); the former died in childhood and the latter at age of twenty-two. 7. Juliette, and (8) Joseph Lord (twins): the latter died in infancy. 9. Frank Lord.
Of the above family, Elizabeth. the eldest, attended Wilbraham Academy and the State Normal School at Westfield, graduating in 1883. She immediately began teaching in the public schools of Columbus, Ohio, where she continued until 1910 when she retired. She received the degree of Bachelor of Arts from Ohio State University in 1905.
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Following her retirement Elizabeth Ses- sions returned to Hampden where she pur- chased the Sumner Sessions property at the edge of the village, on which she has made many improvements developing it into one of the attractive homes of the town. She has taken an active part in some of the town's activities, has been a member of the school committee for six years, the Hamp- den Grange, Patrons of Husbandry, is a trustee of the public library and a member of the Federated Community Church. Her interest in affairs outside her town is shown by her membership in the Hampden County Improvement League, of which she has been a member since its inception; the Spring- field League of Women Voters, Connecticut
Hampden-6
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Valley Branch of the Foreign Policy Asso- ciation, Masschusetts Civic League, Wom- ens' International League for Peace and Freedom, National Probation Association, and other organizations whose purposes are in general the improvement of some part of the human race or the conditions under which it lives.
Through the contribution of a large sum of money by Miss Sessions, the beautiful Hampden Town House was erected and completed in 1932. It houses the town of- fices, public library, public school and social center with auditorium. A tablet in the building bears the following inscription :
In honor of those citizens of Hampden who for the glory of God were devoted to the progress of educa- tion, the maintenance of high moral standards and unselfish devotion to public welfare, this building was erected and given to the town by Elizabeth Sessions, Anno Domini, MCMXXXII.
Juliette, the next daughter to reach adult age, graduated from the University of Mich- igan in 1893, with the degree of Bachelor of Philosophy. She taught in the high schools of Columbus, Ohio, for twenty-five years when she retired. She continued her interest in educational matters as a mem- ber of the Columbus Board of Education until her death, December 18, 1929, at the age of sixty-two. She was active in club and civic affairs in that city.
The youngest member of the family of Horace Mills and Juliette (Lord) Sessions is Frank Lord, who was graduated from the Worcester Polytechnic Institute with de- grees in Mechanical and Electrical Engi- neering. He has, for a number of years been a resident of Cleveland, Ohio, where he is engaged as a consulting engineer. He married Jane Crighton, of Fort Wayne, In- diana, and they have three sons: I. Robert Crighton, who married Elizabeth Marean, of Dalton, Massachusetts, and they have
two daughters, Audrey and Jane. 2. Paul Stanley. 3. William Crighton, who married Marion Hill, of Lakewood, Ohio, and they have two children, Elizabeth and Margaret.
FREDERICK WILLIAM CELCE, M. D .- The illustrious medical tradition en- joyed by the Celce family in the city of Hol- yoke is being upheld by Dr. Frederick Wil- liam Celce, who for the past eight years has engaged in a general practice in this com- munity and today is widely recognized and highly esteemed by his professional col- leagues and the public-at-large. In carrying on this work he is emulating his distin- guished father and mother, who for over four decades were among the most promi- nent medical figures in this section of the county and were also prominent in civic and social affairs.
Dr. Celce was born December 12, 1896, the son of Dr. Frank F. and Dr. Jean H. (Hose) Celce, the former a native of Ger- many, the latter of New York State. His father, who was born September 25, 1867, the son of Fred and Rose Celce, is still ac- tively engaged in the practice of medicine in Holyoke. He came to this country with his parents at an early age, was educated in the public schools and gained his degree of Doctor of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, from where he was graduated with the class of 1893. He then established himself in Holyoke and initiated a practice which he still maintains after forty-two years. The elder Dr. Celce served for many years on the staff of the Holyoke Hospital, where he still maintains an affiliation as con- sultant internist. He is a Republican in politics ; and a member of the Second Con- gregational Church.
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