USA > Massachusetts > Berkshire County > Historic homes and institutions and genealogical and personal memoirs of Berkshire County, Massachusetts, Vol I > Part 24
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Chat n Drownd
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4. Arthur Freeman, born September 17. 1870. He was formerly as- sistant to his father at Pleasure Park, and is now engaged in harness and saddle manufacturing with his father-in-law, John Smith, in Pitts- field.
Edgerton Ellis Dodge (9), second son and child of Freeman M. Dodge, was born November 23, 1865. He was a trainer of horses on Mr. Forbes' Fatherland Farm, at Byfield, Massachusetts. Subsequently he was employed in the same capacity with C. W. Wheeler, at Orange, Massachusetts, and still later had charge of the stock for William Pol- lock, at Pittsfield. From 1896 until his decease in 1904 he was pro- prietor of the extensive Maplewood Livery Stables.
Mr. Dodge was married, November 26, 1891, to Miss Katherine Irene, daughter of the late Bruce Humphreyville, a farmer of Lanes- boro. Their children are Freeman Forbes, born December 23, 1892, and Helen Dodge, born May 22. 1896.
CHARLES NYE DROWNE.
Among the important business interests of Pittsfield is the Berk- shire Manufacturing Company, the outgrowth of a small business es- tablished in 1879 by the gentleman whose name introduces these memoirs and who is one of the considerable stockholders of the com- pany named. He was born in Lee, Massachusetts, August 16, 1854, son of the late Reuben Olmsted and Martha Peabody ( Buckley) Drowne. He is a descendant of an early Welsh settler of the colonies.
Leonard Drowne. the founder of the American family of that name, was born in 1646 and when a young man came to America, locat- ing in Boston, Massachusetts. He married Elizabeth, daughter of
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Richard Abbott, of Portsmouth, New Hampshire. He died October 31, 1729 ; his wife May 5, 1706. Of their children
Simeon Drowne was born April 9, 1686, lived in Boston,. where he followed the trade of shipwright, died August 2, 1734, and is buried at Copp's Hill. He married Mary Paine, born June 8, 1683, daughter of Hon. Colonel Nathaniel and Dorothy (Rainsford) Paine, of Bristol, Rhode Island. The only son of Simeon and Mary ( Paine) Drowne was
Jonathan Drowne, born in 1711. married, July 27. 1732, Sarah Kent, daughter of Joshua and Mary (Toogood) Kent, born October 17, 17II. The first authentic records of this couple are found at Bris- tol, Rhode Island. They were of strong religious faith and believed in the doctrines preached by Elder Wight. They were the parents of six children. Captain Jonathan Drowne died a short time prior to June 24, 1757, the date of the record of her power of attorney by his widow. She married, October 11, 1759, in Rehoboth, James Smith, of Warren, who is described as a "gentleman of high character and much esteemed." He died in Barrington, April 3. 1774, and his widow subsequently and until her decease, October 8, 1777, lived with her son Nathaniel Drowne in Rehoboth, where her remains lie. The stones marking her grave are still intact and the headstone bears this quaint inscription :
" Beneath this ston Deaths Prisoner Lies The ston shall move the Prisoner rise When Jesus withs Almity word Calls his dead saints To meet their Lord."
Of her sons by Captain Jonathan Drowne three were soldiers in the Patriot army during the Revolutionary war, viz. : Nathaniel, Frederick and
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Jonathan Drowne (II), born May 5. 1745 ; died in 1808; married, January 21, 1770, Sarah Wheeler, daughter of Valentine and Sarah Wheeler, born September 14. 1749 : died June 7. 1841. Jonathan Drowne (II), was an able man, honest and steadfast. " He believed in liberty and gave the best portion of his life to the colonial struggle for inde- pendence." He participated in the battle of Lexington, April 19, 1775, serving as captain, and at Bunker Hill, June 17, 1775, where he ranked as paymaster. Certified abstracts of his Revolutionary war service from the office of the secretary of the commonwealth of Massachusetts are as follows: "Jonathan Drowne, appears with rank of lieutenant on com- pany returns of Captain Keith's Company, Colonel Sargent's regiment. dated August 16, 1775. Enlisted July 9, 1775-residence Rehoboth." " Jonathan Drowne : appears with rank of lieutenant on company returns of Captain Keith's Company, Colonel Sargent's regiment-probably Oc- tober returns 1775. Residence Rehoboth." "Jonathan Drowne : appears with rank of first lieutenant on muster and pay-roll of Captain James Perry's Company, 16th Regt .; enlisted January 1, 1776." "Jonathan Drowne : appears with rank of captain on Continental army pay accounts Col. Henry Jackson's Regiment, for services from January 1, 1777, to October 5, 1778-residence, Rehoboth ; returns dated Pawtuxet, Sept. 19, 1778.
"(Signed) JONATHAN DROWNE." Of the children of Jonathan and Sarah ( Wheeler) Drowne
Anah Drowne was born in Rehoboth, August 1, 1782; died Janu- ary 21, 1858; married Ruth Olmsted. Of the children of Anah and Ruth (Olmsted) Drowne was
Reuben Olmsted Drowne, who was born in Canaan, New York, January 5. 1820, and died January 12, 1892. He was educated in his native place where he became one of the leading stockholders of its prin-
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cipal industry, the Canaan Paper Company. His wife, Martha Pea- body Buckley. born April 9. 1822, was a daughter of James Buckley, for many years in the employ of Plattner & Smith, founders of the Smith Paper Company, of Lee, Massachusetts, and whose wife Clarissa (Rodgers) Buckley, died December 22, 1855. Mrs. Reuben O. Drowne died October 9, 1893. Of her children
Charles Nye Drowne, introduced in the opening lines of these me- moirs, was educated in Canaan, New York, and in 1874 came to Pittsfield and in 1878 established a modest plant for the manufacture of overalls, pantaloons, etc. His success inspired him to seek larger manufacturing facilities, and to accomplish this end the Berkshire Manufacturing Com- pany was incorporated with John S. Wolfe, president ; George W. Pease, treasurer, and Messrs. George H. Bliss and Charles N. Drowne, direc- tors. The original line of manufactures was continued by the company for a period of about ten years, since which time pantaloons alone has been its product. The growth of the business warranting enlarged in- vestment, the capital stock was increased in 1898, Messrs. E. H. Robbins . and W. W. Gamwell of Pittsfield purchasing the company's additional stock. The present output of the plant is many times in excess of the original product, indicating it as one of the substantial business suc- cesses of Pittsfield. Mr. Drowne married, December 15, 1886, Fanny E., daughter of the late George E. Royce, of Rutland, Vermont. Their children are Royce Carver Drowne, born October 15, 1887; Brewer Campbell Drowne, born June 7, 1894; and Fanny Olmsted Drowne, born October 12, 1896. Mr. Drowne is a Democrat in political affiliation, and a member of the Masonic fraternity. the Massachusetts Society Sons of the American Revolution, and of Berkshire Chapter.
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HENRY C. BENZ.
Henry C. Benz, a prominent business man of Pittsfield, Massa- chusetts. was born in Metzinger, Germany, April 6, 1828, and came to this country in 1854, locating in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. His father was a man of education and culture, and a public-spirited, patriotic citizen of his native town.
He secured a position with the Pontoosuc Woolen Company, then managed by the late Thaddeus Clapp, and for eighteen years was gen- eral overseer of the mill. He invented the manufacture of Balmoral skirts and carriage lap robes. At that time about one hundred hand looms were in operation at this mill. In 1872 Mr. Benz went to An- sonia, Connecticut, where he became associated with the Slade Woolen Company, having charge of the pressing department, and this position he retained for four years thereafter, then returning to the Pontoosuc Company. He remained with the latter until 1885, when he purchased a farm on the Southeast Mountain road. Mr. Benz then gave up work in the mill and gave his entire time to the farm, which he conducted very successfully. In the death of Henry C. Benz, which occurred November 7, 1904, the community lost an honest, upright, industrious citizen, and his family a kind and loving father. Henry C. Benz was united in marriage to Anna Maria Stole, a native of Germany, who died March 26, 1899. Of this union the following named children were born: Henry, in 1855, married Bertha Irons, and they have one child, Edward, who resided on the home farm for a short period of time and now lives in Pittsfield; Henry married a second time and now lives in Utica, New York. John, in 1863; Charles, in 1865. The last two named work on the home farm. Fred Jacob, in 1869, married, October 21, 1896, Caroline E. Dewey, daughter of Chauncey and Caro-
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line Dewey, a member of one of the most prominent and highly re- spected families in Lenox; of this marriage two children were born : Frederick D., August 24, 1898, and Marie, who died at the age of three years. Fred Jacob Benz was a Republican in politics, and was deeply and actively interested in the affairs of that organization. He was an energetic, up-to-date young farmer and assisted very materially in the improvement of the farm. He was stricken suddenly with a fatal disease, and on February 28, 1905, his death occurred, and he was buried on the twentieth anniversary of the day the family took up their residence on the farm. His widow, Mrs. Caroline E. Benz, makes her home on the farm.
SELDEN DEMING ANDREWS.
A significant industry of the county seat, the Berkshire Hardware Company, ranking among the leading wholesale and retail establish- ments of its kind in western Massachusetts, owes its proportions in large measure to the industry and business acumen of the gentleman whose name introduces this narrative and, who, as the subjoined genealogical data will show, is a representative of one of the historic families of west- ern Massachusetts.
He was born February 11, 1865, in Richmond, Berkshire county, son of Deming Lewis and Sarah (Werden) Andrews, the former also a native of Richmond and the latter of Connecticut. Selden Deming Andrews completed his general education with his graduation in 1881 from the Pittsfield high school. Immediately thereafter he found em- ployment in the hardware establishment of a brother-in-law, Mr. E. Williams, a one-half interest in which he purchased in 1898, this part- nership association continuing to conduct an increasingly successful
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hardware business. Mr. Williams disposed of his interest therein to Mr. John H. Eells, in 1902, and it has since been conducted under the name of Berkshire Hardware Company, Mr. Eells being the office man- ager, and Mr. Andrews general manager. Mr. Andrews is a member of the Masonic fraternity and the Royal Arcanum.
He married, August 13, 1889. Carrie, daughter of Abraham Volk. Their children are Harold Volk Andrews, born June 9, 1892, and Ed- ward Deming Andrews, born March 6, 1894. The family reside at 42 Clinton street, with summer home at Richmond, Berkshire county, Mas- sachusetts.
The Andrews family of Berkshire county is lineally descended from John Andrus (or, as spelled in earliest land records, AAndrews, a spell- ing generally adopted by his posterity) who was one of the eighty-four proprietors of the ancient town of Tunxis ( the name of an Indian tribe ). afterwards "ffarmingtowne," now Farmington, Connecticut. He died in 1681, and his wife Mary in May, 1694. Of their children. the young- est was Benjamin Andrews, who was married thrice. first on May 26, 1682, to Mary Smith, who died in January. 1707. Her eldest son
Benjamin Andrews, Jr .. boru August 20, 1683, died in 1729, mar- ried December 6, 1711, Elizabeth Gridley, born at Farmington, Con- necticut. October 20, 1693. She was a daughter of Thomas and Eliza- beth ( Clark) Gridley, who were constituent members of Southington, Connecticut, Congregational church.
Jonathan Andrews, eldest son of Benjamin, Jr., and Elizabeth (Gridley) Andrews, was born at Southington. Connecticut, April 4. 1715. He married June 5. 1735. Susannah Andrews, born at Hartford. Connecticut, May 12, 1718, daughter of Thomas and Abigail (Turner) Andrews. Both Jonathan Andrews and his wife were admitted to the church in Southington, October 19. 1735. He died December 2, 1797,
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and his wife February 6, 1809. Jonathan Andrews was in 1779 ap- pointed with the deacons to confer with Rev. Robinson to agree upon a church covenant, confession and discipline. His second son
Ozias Andrews, born at Southington, Connecticut, March 20, 1742; married December 28, 1768, Ann Nott (or Knott) of Berlin, Connecti- cut. They settled in 1781 in Richmond, Berkshire county, where he became a leading member of the Methodist Episcopal church. He had a short term of service in the patriot army during the closing years of the Revolutionary war. He died in April, 1812, and his wife, January 24, 1839. Of their children
Jonathan Andrews, born at Richmond, March 18, 1874. married, January 16, 1811, a lady of Canaan, New York, Betsey Rood, born in 1788, died in June, 1866. Their youngest child
Lewis Deming Andrews, born at Richmond, April 2, 1820, and twice married, first in 1848 to Rebecca Barney, who died two years later ; second, in January, 1852, to Sarah A. Werden, of Richmond. Four children were born of the latter marriage, two of whom died in infancy ; a son, Selden Deming Andrews, the immediate subject of these memoirs, and a daughter. Elizabeth Irene, born in September, 1857, who is the wife of Eleazer Williams, former hardware merchant of Pittsfield, and has four children : Florence ; Eleazer, Jr. ; Henry and Elizabeth.
ALMON AUBREY DESMOND.
Almon A. Desmond, a prominent and leading citizen of Pittsfield, Berkshire county, Massachusetts, where he was born in the year 1862, is a lineal descendant of a family of English origin, who settled in New York state at an early date. His parents were William and Phoebe (Mapes) Desmond, and his paternal grandfather was William Des-
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mond, a mechanic of more than ordinary ability, who resided with his family in the vicinity of Stephentown, New York.
William Desmond (father) was born in Stephentown, New York, in 1830. He received the meager educational advantages afforded by attendance at the ungraded schools of that early period, and at the age of thirteen years was bound out to a farmer. During this period of time he became so thoroughly familiar with farming in all its details, and it proving so congenial to his tastes, he decided to follow that line of work throughout his active career. He drifted from New York state to Massachusetts, working for a time in Hancock, and about the year 1858 went to work for the Stearns family, after which he worked for J. P. Clark, of West Pittsfield, and for a number of years there- after conducted a milk business on his own account. He was the head farmer for the Barker Brothers, of Barkersville, during the flourishing days of that concern, performing his work in a highly satisfactory and efficient manner. During his residence in Berkshire county. Mr. Des- mond has witnessed the decline of the villages of Barkersville and Stearnsville, which at one time was the very hive of industry, with busi- ness booming and labor in great demand, but at the present time ( 1904) it is so different, ruin and destruction everywhere and the empty mills and tenements giving it the look of abandonment. William Desmond was united in marriage to Phoebe Mapes, of West Pittsfield, Massa- chusetts, and the following named children were born to them: Will- iam, 1858, is now a resident of Bristol, Connecticut ; he married Amelia Beitzel, of Pittsfield, and they are the parents of two children. Almon Aubrey, mentioned hereinafter. Sanford L .. 1867, a resident of Pitts- field ; he married Effie Stickles, and three children are the issue of this union. The father of Mrs. Desmond died before her birth, and her mother when she was only three years of age, and thus her bringing up
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was entrusted to the Shakers of West Pittsfield, with whom she resided until she was sixteen years of age. The Shakers gave her a good edu- cation and taught her such things in the early years of her life as to make her an admired girl, a devoted and beloved wife and a mother that her three sons are proud to speak of. She passed away in 1895, and her death was bemoaned by all who had ever come in contact with her, especially was she missed in church circles, where she took an active and keen interest.
Almon A. Desmond acquired his preliminary education in the dis- trict school, and this was supplemented by a three years' course at the high school. When this was completed his father gave him the choice of continuing his studies or learning a trade, but he chose the latter. and at the age of sixteen years, as was the custom with the majority of boys reared in that town, went to work in Barker Brothers' Woolen Mills, where he remained two years. He then entered the employ of William Whiting, ex-mayor, who was engaged in the wholesale station- ery business, remaining with him for a period of four years. The fol- lowing two years he was employed at the woolen business in Rockville, Connecticut, after which the longing for home came upon him and he returned to Pittsfield, securing employment with Joseph D. Shearer in the stationery business, with whom he remained for seven years. In 1901 Mr. Desmond was appointed caretaker of the high school of Pitts- field, which is one of the most beautiful structures in that vicinity of the county, and the citizens of Pittsfield, especially those who have chil- dren attending that school, are to be congratulated in having such a trustworthy official on duty. In 1902 he was appointed a member of the city council. and for several terms served on the school board of Pittsfield. He is prominently identified with the Improved Order of Red Men. Knights of Pythias, Royal Arcanum, and the Daughters of
Solna da. Selle
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Pocahontas. In 1885 Mr. Desmond married Mary S. Beitzel, daughter of John and Amelia Beitzel, a highly respected German family of Pitts- field. Their children are: Amy Amelia, born 1888, in Rockville, Connecticut, and Aubrey Mordaunt, born 1893. in Pittsfield, Massa- chusetts. The former named is now attending the high school of Pitts- field, and the latter is a student in the grammar school. The family are members of the Baptist church of Pittsfield. They reside in a com- fortable home on East street, where the utmost hospitality is extended to their numerous friends.
JOHN HENRY EELLS.
A leading merchant of Berkshire county, half-owner of the Berk- shire Hardware Company. Pittsfield, is he whose name is the caption for this article. He was born in Lenox, October 1, 1846, son of the late David B. and Sarah ( Wells) Eells, both natives of Berkshire county, and descendants of early English settlers of New England.
John Eells, founder of the American family of this name, came from England in 1634. Of his children
Samuel Eells, who was born June 23, 1639, had a large family, among whom was
Rev. Nathaniel Eells, born November 26, 1677 : settled at Scituate. Massachusetts, and died August 25, 1750. Of his sons
Rev. Edward Eells was born June 3. 1712, or 1713, settled at Mid- dletown, Connecticut, where he was pastor of the North Society from 1738 until his decease, October 12, 1776.
An amusing incident in the history of Rev. John Eells, a cousin of Rev. Edward Eells, which is in substance contained in the record of the clerk of the Congregational church of New Canaan, Connecticut. It nar-
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rates that upon being aroused late upon a stormy night by a couple de- sirous of being married, Rev. Eells appeared at a window opening upon a piazza where the couple stood and summarily tied the knot with these words :
" Under this window in stormy weather, I join this man and woman together. Let none but Him who made this thunder E'er part these married two asunder."
The dominie then remarked : " It is the custom to offer prayer, but under the circumstances we will dispense with that," then adding, "It is also the custom to have music, but that will be omitted," and after a moment's pause, " and it is the custom also to kiss the bride, but that will likewise be dispensed with." Here the new made Benedict tucked his bride under his arm, and remarking "It is also customary to fee the parson, but under the circumstances that will be dispensed with," disap- peared into the storm.
John Eells, son of Rev. Edward Eells, born July 20, 1753, was a soldier in the patriot army during the War of the Revolution. A copy of the official record of service is as follows: "John Eells, Lanesboro, private, Capt. Ebenezer Newell's Co., Col. Symond's Regiment ; service 21 days; company marched from Lanesboro to Manchester, July 9, 1777, on an alarm; also same company and regiment, service, six days; com- pany marched from Lanesboro on an alarm, Aug. 14, 1777, also Lieu- tenant Joseph Farnum's Co., Col. Benjamin Symond's regiment ; enlisted Sept. 5, 1777, discharged Sept. 30, 1777; service 26 days. Company marched from Lanesboro to Pawlet; also on list of men mustered by Truman Wheeler, muster master for Berkshire county, dated Great Barrington, June 5, 1778. Residence, Lanesboro; term, nine months." Of his children
John Eells born in Connecticut, May II, 1780, located in Berk-
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shire county with his parents, and died October 17, 1826. He was a farmer, as was his son, who died July 30, 1879, and who was David B. Eells, father of the immediate subject of these memoirs.
John H. Eells was educated in the schools of Lenox and under the tuition of George P. Bradley, near Stockbridge. For a short period thereafter he assisted his father in the cultivation of the homestead farm, and from 1875 to 1880 was in the employ of an uncle, Richard P. Eells, an insurance and real estate agent of Nyack. New York. Returning to Berkshire county in the latter year, he became bookkeeper for the shoe manufacturing establishment of Robbins & Kellogg, and remained with this company and its successors until the shutting down of the plant in 1900. A short period of service as tax collector of Pittsfield was fol- lowed by his purchase in September, 1902, of Mr. E. Williams' half- interest of the hardware business on North street, Pittsfield, since oper- ated under the name of the Berkshire Hardware Company.
Mr. Eeils married, October, 1892, Harriet, daughter of the late Erastus Parker, of Lenox. Mr. Eells has been a member of South Con- gregational church, Pittsfield, since 1882, one of its board of deacons since 1894, and clerk of the parish since 1884. Mrs. Eells is a member of St. Stephen's Protestant Episcopal church, Pittsfield. The residence is 364 South street.
REV. CLOVIS N. BAUDOUIN.
The French Catholics of Pittsfield, Massachusetts, have been for- tunate in having appointed to attend to their spiritual and religious needs the Rev. Clovis N. Baudouin, who since he has come among them has endeared himself to them in an extraordinary degree. He was born in the village of Repentigny, province of Quebec, Canada, in the year 1854, a son of Pierre and Marguerite (Hetu) Baudouin.
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The family were among the earliest French settlers that came from the Fatherland and settled in the Canadian wilderness. They are sup- posed to have come from the district of Normandie, France. Among the early records we find that Guillaume Baudouin was a settler in the village of Repentigny as early as 1700, and he reared his family in that vicinity. Among his descendants was Pierre Baudouin, aforementioned, who by his marriage to Marguerite Hetu became the father of the fol- lowing named children: Pierre, born 1831, now deceased; he was a practicing physician in St. Jean, where he died. Philibert, born 1836, a resident of Montreal, Canada, where he is engaged as notary. Del- vina, born 1841, died at the age of seventeen years. Joel, born 1843. deceased; he was a man of excellent education and sound judgment, and his entire life was spent on the old homestead. Osina Marguerite, born 1845, became the wife of Joseph La Rose; they made their home in St. Paul, Canada, where she died. Albert, born 1848, died when only eighteen years of age, when in the sixth year of his college course. Clovis N .. mentioned at length in the following paragraph.
Clovis N. Baudouin early evinced a desire to extend his educa- tional advantages as far as possible, and at twelve years of age entered L'Assomption College, where he pursued the full course, completing the same in the year 1876, and thus he gave the best years of his life in endeavoring to secure the knowledge that he is anxious and willing to impart to all people who come in contact with him. After his gradua- tion from L'Assomption College he entered Varennes Seminary, where he pursued his studies for four years, and on December 20. 1879, he was ordained to the priesthood in Montreal. The following two years he taught French literature in Varennes College, and then was assigned to assist the pastor at St. John's, Quebec, where he labored for about two years. He was then successively assistant pastor in St. Paul and
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