Historic homes and institutions and genealogical and personal memoirs of Worcester county, Massachusetts, with a history of Worcester society of antiquity, Vol. I, Part 100

Author: Crane, Ellery Bicknell, 1836-1925, ed
Publication date: 1907
Publisher: New York, Chicago: The Lewis Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 824

USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Historic homes and institutions and genealogical and personal memoirs of Worcester county, Massachusetts, with a history of Worcester society of antiquity, Vol. I > Part 100

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Mr. Back is a member of the board of trade and served one term as a director. He is serving his second three-year term as director of the Wor-

cester County Mechanics' Association, and he served two terms as director of the Young Men's Chris- tian Association of Worcester. He is a Republican in politics. He served the city of Worcester in the common council from ward six in 1896-97-98. He was an alderman in 1899 and 1900. In 1896 he was on the committees on education, legislative matters ; in 1897 on public buildings, education and legislative matters; in 1898 on education, legislative matters and public buildings; in 1899 and 1900 on finance, police, education, public claims and public buildings, and chairman of the last two. He devoted himself particularly to the work of the committee on educa- tion and claims. In 1898 he was a member of the grade crossing commission appointed to solve the problem of abolishing the crossings at grade of high- ways and steam railroads. Mr. Back retired from the city council in 1900 at the end of his term. He was appointed license commissioner by Mayor W. H. Blodget with James F. Carberry and Captain John S. Baldwin for the year 1904. He was elected chairman of the board. He was reappointed and again served in 1905 as commissioner. Under the present charter of the city of Worcester the chief duty of the three license commissioners consists in deciding between the various applicants for licenses to sell intoxicating liquors and to grant the licenses to the number permitted by law. The purpose of the license commission is to eliminate the influence of the saloons in municipal politics by taking the granting of licenses out of the hands of the aldermen.

In every public position in which Mr. Back has served he has completely won and held the public confidence; he has devoted himself unreservedly to the duties of the office. Few men having the heavy business responsibilities of Mr. Back can be found with the public spirit necessary to fill municipal offices properly, if they are willing to take them at all. Although still a young man Mr. Back is to be reckoned among the founders of the great industries of Worcester. Surely the men who create industries and develop machinery for which a demand exists is entitled to a large measure of public gratitude. An establishment like the Reed shop benefits not only the three hundred employees and their families, but every taxpayer in the city, every merchant and many other manufacturing industries. Mr. Back is a member of the South Baptist Church and has been on the board of trustees since 1897. He is a member of no fraternal or secret order.

Hle married, November 15, 1877, Frances Lorena Parker, born in Boston, daughter of Charles Parker, of Worcester. Their home is at 24 Oread street. Their children are: Sadie May, born in Worcester, April 23, 1881, married Herbert Sumner Ramsdell, of Worcester, a clerk of the Duncan-Goodell Com- pany hardware store, Worcester; they have a son, Herbert Francis, born January, 1904. Lorena Fran- ces, born January 12, 1890, a student in the Worces- ter high school.

WILLIAM HENRY GOULDING. Peter Goulding (1), emigrant ancestor of the Goulding family of Worcester, was the progenitor of William Henry Goulding of Worcester. There were a num- ber of emigrants to New England in the middle of the seventeenth century, but none of them appear to have left descendants by the name of Goulding ex- cept Peter. He came from England, probably from Shipdam, six miles from Norwich. He was a de- scendant of Rev. Thomas Goulding, who was co- executor to the Bishop of Norwich. He was a saddler by trade, but seems to have been an attorney at law with a considerable practice in the courts. He was not a Puritan, never took the oath of fidelity,

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nor joined the church. He was a man of morality, as his Puritan critics described his virtues, of talent and rare enterprise and courage. By marriage he was connected with the aristocratic families of the colony. He was in Virginia in 1667. He is said to have become one of the earliest anti-slavery men of Massachusetts, after visiting his brother in the south. He was in 1670 attorney for Joseph Deakin, of Boston, in a suit against Thomas Jenner, mariner, for the recovery of a negro slave, to the sale of whom three years before in Virginia he testified. His writing is mentioned as beautiful, and as more than a generation in advance of his New England contemporaries. He had a serious difference with the Suffolk county court and was prosecuted and fined "for charges that he divulged against the court and clerk of Suffolk county." In consequence, October 18, 1681, he addressed a complaint and pe- tition to the general court, but instead of sustain- ing his appeal the general court sentenced him to make public acknowledgment of his fault, to satisfy the court, or pay a fine of twenty pounds to the treasurer of the colony. But the general court ac- cepted a very ambiguous and dubious acknowledg- ment, and the fine was remitted. He bought of Isaac Negus, April 11, 1682, two hundred acres of land north of the Merrimac river, on Beaver Brook creek. He was also interested in the second attempt to settle Worcester in 1683, and bought the town rights of Thomas Hall. He probably took up his residence there until the settlement was the second time broken up. He had several. grants of land in Worcester, and his son Palmer revived his claim to one hundred and fifty-seven acres when the third settlement was made in 1713, and the claim was allowed. The family has been prominent in Wor- cester ever since. Goulding was the owner also of three thousand and twenty acres in Hassanamesset (Grafton), which at that time was included in the south part of Worcester. In 1694, when he left Worcester at the time the settlement was abandoned, he went to Sudbury, where he died in 1703, eleven years before the successful settlement of Worcester. He was only a sojourner in Sudbury, expecting to return some time to Worcester. He was a cord- wainer as well as a farmer. Peter Goulding married

Jane - , who was the mother of three and probably five of his children. He married ( second) Sarah Palmer, sister of Hon. Thomas Palmer, of Boston, and in succeeding generations Palmer was a common name for the sons. His children: I. Peter, recorded in Boston in list 1665. died young. 2. Mary, born January 21, 1665-6, died young. 3. Francis, born February 22, 1667-8, probably died young. 4. Martha, born probably in Virginia, mar- ried John Smith, of Hadley. 5. Elizabeth, born Oc- tober 6, 1773, married William Jenison, of Charles- town, settled in Sudbury and Worcester. 6. Winsor, born March 3, 1674-5. 7. Thomas, born January 2, 1677. 8. Sarah, born August 19, 1679. 9. John (cap- tain), born probably near Merrimac, Massachusetts, 1682, married, 1705, Abigail Curtis. Io. Jane, born at Boston, January 16, 1683-4. II. Mercy, born at Boston, September 8, 1786. 12. Peter, born prob- ably at Worcester. 13. Abigail, born probably at Worcester. 14. Arabella, born at Sudbury or Wor- cester. 15. Captain Palmer, see forward.

(II) Captain Palmer Goulding, son of Peter Goulding (1), probably born in Sudbury, 1695 : died February II, 1777 ; married, at Concord, Massa- chusetts, December 4, 1722, Abigail Rice, who died at Holden, February 17, 1722, aged seventy. He is buried on the Worcester common, then the burying ground of the town. He removed from Sudbury to Worcester in 1728. He sold some land

here in 1722, and October 1, 1723, bought twelve hundred and six acres in the southern part of Wor- cester. He built his house where the Fourth Con- gregational Church stood later, near Front street, and carried on a varied and extensive business as tanner, shoemaker, curer of hams, maltster, etc. His house was used in 1732 as a school, Richard Rogers, teacher. He was on the committee to seat the meeting, an important duty then. He was constable 1726-27-28-29; selectman 1730-31-37; treasurer 1738; assessor 1732-33-34. ne dealt in land extensively in Worcester. He had a fine military record. He was at the capture of Louisburg, June 17, 1745, in com- mand of a company. February 24, 1750, he and William Johnson bought one hundred and thirty- seven acres on the shore of Lake Quinsigamond. Children of Captain Palmer Goulding: I. Palmer, born February 18, 1722-3, died January 30, 1792; married Abigail Haywood. 2. Abigail, born Sep- tember 24, 1724, died May 17, 1736. 3. Colonel John, born October 3, 1726, died November 22, 1791 ; mar- ried Lucy Brooks. 4. Millicent, born November 12 or 25, 1728, died unmarried August 9, 1813 : talented teacher, once a Shaker. 5. Zurvilla (or Trovilla), born December 25, 1730, married Cornelius Stowell. 6. Winsor, born December 4. 1732, married Eliza- beth Rice. 7. Ignatius, born September 6, 1734, died November 5, 1814; married Elizabeth Goodwin. 8. Peter, see forward. 9. Abel, born March 4, 1738, died December 6, 1817; married Keziah Johnson, of Shrewsbury. 10. Elizabeth, born May I, 1741, died unmarried. II. Patty, married John Miller.

(III) Peter Goulding, son of Captain Palmer Goulding (2), born in Worcester, December 30, 1736, died July 17. 1790; married Lucy Brewer. He was a carpenter by trade, and was killed by a fall, July 17, 1790. His children: I. Levi, born March 15. 1767, died June 8, 1767. 2. Clark, see forward. 3. Lucy, born April 10, 1770, married Nathan Gates. 4. Patty, born March II, 1772; married, 1791, Charles Johnson. 5. Lucinda, born February 23, 1774, mar- ried Timothy Johnson, 1792; resided in Worcester. 6. Peter, born May 15, 1776. 7. Sally, born April 28, 1778, died June 27, 1778. 8. Sally, born April 18, 17So; married Reuben Scott. 9. Zervilla, born Sep- tember 21, 1781. 10. Nabby, born December 23, 1783, died February 25, 1799. II. Levi, born Sep- tember II, 1787; married, April 18, 1809, Sally Har- rington.

(IV) Clark Goulding, son of Peter Goulding (3), born September 21. 1768, in Worcester, died there August 14, 1829; married Prudence Rice, born April 9, 1776, married 1795, and died April 13, 1849. Their children: I. Mary, born October 23, 1795, died 1837; married, 1834, Arthur Keyes, of Boyls- ton. 2. Lewis, born August 18, 1797, died May 8, 1847; married, 1825, Luvy Adams; resided at Gard- iner, Maine. 3. Abigail, born June 21, 1799 ; married, 1823. Elisha Chaffin, of Worcester. 4. Harriet, born February 22, 1801; married, 1841, Ebenezer Dana. 5. Henry, see forward. 6. Eli, born August 12, 1804: married Martha Alexander, of Deerfield, 1833. 7. Clark, born March 31, 1806, died at De Kalb Junction, New Hampshire, January 29, 1894. 8. Lucy, born October 15, 1807; married, 1844, Jason Chapin. 9. Peter, born March 30, 1810, died March, 1896; married Malinda Hubbard. 10. Emelia, born March 15, 1812, died April 17, 1812. II. Frederick, born December 12, 1813, died February 8, 1814. 12. Hannah, born June 15, 1815; married 1832, H. P. Dunham. 13. Fanny, born August 2, 1816; married, 1837, Gardner Childs. 14. Frederic, born July 19, 1823, married, 1852, Calista Perkins ; he died 1893. (V) Henry Goulding, son of Clark Goulding (4), born December 13, 1802, died January 30,

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1866, in Worcester. He married, 1829, Saralı Rice, and lived in Worcester. He was a man of consid- erable property. He built the mansion at 26 Harvard street in which his son, William H. Goulding, has lived for many years. Ile was a manufacturer of woolen machinery; one of the first, and retired from business in 1851. He served as selectman; was one of the founders and president of the Mechanics Bank; a member of the fire department in 1840. In politics he was originally a Whig, and afterward a Republican. His children: 1. Sarah Rice, born January 1, 1830; married Henry O. Clark; lived in Worcester. 2. William Henry, see forward. 3. Sew- all Foster, born July 17, 1836, died June 3, 1840.

(VI) William Henry Goulding, son of Henry Goulding (5), was born in Worcester, Massachu- setts, May 23, 1833. He attended the public schools of his native town, and in 1850 was graduated from the high school. He took a course also at Leicester Academy. He went to work in Boston as salesman first for the wholesale firm of Pierce, Howe & Co. After a year in their store he went into partnership in the tailoring business with Henry Chaffin, under the firm name of Chaffin & Goulding. After a period of eight years, Mr. Goulding sold his interests to his partner and returned to Worcester. Here he decided to make his home, and founded the drug store at present known as Buffington's, in 1859. The store has always been on the spot now occupied, ex- cept during the time the present building was be- ing constructed after the fire. He carried on the drug store for eight years, and in 1866 sold it to Elisha D. Buffington, whose estate still owns the business, as the Buffington Pharmacy Company. At that time the large property interests of Mr. Gould- ing kept him busy, and since then he has had no other business than the management of his real estate and other property interests. He enjoys travel, and spends only a part of the year at his home, 26 Harvard street. He has a cottage in Cottage City at the sea shore, and in winter prefers the climate of Florida to that of New England. He is a member of the Commonwealth Club, and at- tends Plymouth Church. He married first, October 6, 1862, Florence Berry, daughter of Scotto and Mary (Lovett) Berry, of Douglas and Worcester. She died April 25, 1870. He married (second), No- vember 18, 1891, Rose T. Ford, daughter of Joseph T. and Henrietta W. (Womrath) Ford, of Phila- delphia, where they were married. Three children were born of the first marriage, all in Worcester; I. Mary Sarah, born December 13, 1865, married Charles H. Curtis, of Boston; their children: Her- man Goulding Curtis, born October 26, 1890; Philip Goulding Curtis, born July 8, 1893; Amy Goulding Curtis, born May 1, 1898; Charles Goulding Curtis, born July 26, 1902. 2. Harry Scotto, born June 16, 1867, lives with his parents at home. 3. Louis Rice, born April 7, 1870, married Minnie Whitney, and resides in Boston, where he has a store, Beacon street, and conducts a business of interior decorat- ing. To Mr. Goulding was born, of his second marriage, a son, William Ford, September 4, 1893, a student in the Bancroft School.

THE HORNE FAMILY was an early one in Maine and many of them were engaged in the lum- bering business, and were sturdy, thrifty people. Of the branch of this family represented in Worcester county Ichabod Horne (I), who was engaged in lumber cutting and rafting throughout his active life, was indeed very successful. He married and among his children, who were born at his home place, near where he was, at Bingham, Maine, was one named Ichabod, Jr., who became the father of the

gentleman for whom this personal memoir is written.

(II) Ichabod Horne was borne October 7, 1829. He was educated at the common schools of his native county and upon ending his school days be- gan farming, but later in life saw greater possibilities in the business of his ancestors and began lumber- ing, in which he was eminently successful. He died in 1902. He was a stanch Democrat in political views, but never aspired to office and belonged to no secret society. He married Olive Gleason, who died in 1873. She was the daughter of Bryant and Eliza- betli (Corson) Gleason, of Maine, and became the mother of the following children: Frederick J., born October 10, 1856; Florence E., March 31, 1858, died November, 1887: Charles F., August 15, 1859; Sher- man, January, 1862; Thomas, of whom later; Flora MI., July 19, 1866, died July, 1883.

(HI]) Thomas Horne was born on the old home- stead at Bingham, Maine, August 22, 1864. He was educated in the common schools in Clinton, Pitts- field and Canaan, Maine, which had greatly improved since the days of his father's and grandfather's school days, and after obtaining the average education came to Worcester, where he held a clerical position for one year. He then went to Wisconsin, where for a time he embarked in the lumbering business. But the old Pine Tree State still had charms for him. and we next find him in his native state, where for three years he was engaged in buying hay. It was in 1887 that he again came to Worcester, accepting a position with the Washburn-Moen Wire Com- pany, where he remained seventeen years. He was faithful to every duty imposed upon him and rose to the position of assistant superintendent of their great works. In 1903 he was elected by the city council to the office of assessor, and has held the position ever since, filling it with much credit to himself and satisfaction to the tax payers. He was re-elected in 1906 for three years.

He is a thoroughgoing, genial business man and willing to do his share in any project for the general. advancement of his adopted city and county. Like many another enterprising modern business character, he is identified with the Odd Fellows and Masonic fraternities. He belongs to the Blue Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons.

He married, May 15, 1888, Georgia A. Drew, a daughter of Albert and Helen Maine Drew. The father was a merchant of Pittsfield, Maine. By this union two sons were born: Roland D., March 14. 1895, and Evart J., January 26, 1903, both still living at home.

HON. WILLIAM TROWBRIDGE FORBES. Daniel Forbes (I), the immigrant ancestor of Will- iam Trowbridge Forbes, judge of probate of Wor- cester county, was probably born at Kinellar, Scot- land, about 1620. It is thought that he was one of the Scotch prisoners of war taken at the battle of Dunbar, September 3, 1650, eight thousand of whom were sent to the English colonies. In the

early town records his name and that of his de- scendants is spelled variously: Forbes. Farrabas, Farrowbush, Forbush, Furbish, Farebush, etc., and the name Forbes is still pronounced in Scotland with two syllables. In Burke's Heraldry it is stated that the surname of Forbes was assumed from the lands of Forbes. county Aberdeen, Scot- land, granted by Alexander HI in 1249 to the pro- genitor of this noble family. Daniel Forbes was in the employ of Edmund Angier, to whom he conveyed land granted him by the town of Cam- bridge, Massachusetts. He removed from Cam- bridge to Concord and thence to Marlboro, where

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E. T. Fisher~

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he died October, 1687. He married at Cambridge, March 26 or 27, 1600, Rebecca Perriman, supposed to have been a sister of Thomas Perriman, of Wey- mouth, and of Frances Perriman, who married, 1654, Isaac Andrew, of Cambridge. His first wife died May 3, 1677, and he married (second), May 23, 1679, Deborah, of Concord, born 1652, daughter of Jolın and Ann Rediat of Sudbury. She married ( second ) Alexander Stewart. He had eight chil- dren : Daniel, Thomas, Elizabeth, Rebecca, Samuel, John, Isaac, Jonathan.

(II) Deacon Jonathan Forbes, son of Daniel (1), born in Marlborough, Massachusetts, March 12, 1684, died at Westborough, an adjoining town, March 24, 1768. He was prosperous, owning a saw- mill and large tracts of land; was constable, mod- erator of town meetings and selectman of the town, and deacon of Westboro church. He married, January 2, 1706, Hannah Holloway, daughter of Adam and Hannah (Hayward) (Farrar) Hollo- way, of Marlboro. Their children: Mary; Dinah; Daniel; Thankful; Jonathan, mentioned below ; Abi- gail ; Patience; Phinehas; Eli.

(III) Deacon Jonathan Forbes, Jr., son of Deacon Jonathan Forbes (2), born February 3, 1715, in that part of Marlboro subsequently incor- porated as Westboro, died November, 1756. He married, in Westboro, November 23, 1738, Joanna Tainter ; their children: John; Jonathan, mentioned below; Phinehas; Mehitable; Joanna, died young; Joanna, died young; Sarah, died young; Hannah, died young.

(IV) Deacon Jonathan Forbes, son of Deacon Jonathan Forbes (3), born in Westboro, March I, 1746. died there June 5, 1805. He married, July 2, 1772, Sarah Brigham, born April 18, 1751, died August 20, 1827, bequeathing to each of her forty- five grandchildren a Bible. Their children: Moses ; Jonathan, mentioned below; Holland; Ephraim; Sarah; Elias; Nancy; Achsah; all these children attained maturity and married.

(V) Captain Jonathan Forbes, son of Deacon Jonathan Forbes (4), born December 6, 1775, at the Forbes homestead, West Main street, Westboro, where he always resided, and where he died, Jan- uary 5, 1861. He taught school when a young man. He was captain in the militia as early as 1813, and in that year was also elected deacon of the Evan- gelical church, holding the latter office forty-eight years, the fourth of the name in direct line holding the office of deacon in the Westboro church. He held most of the town offices and was a leader in town affairs; it is said that he was chairman of every committee on which he served. He married, January 17, 1802, Esther, daughter of Ebenezer and Esther Chamberlain, a niece of Judge Edmund Trowbridge. Their children: I. Sarah Brigham, born April 16, 1803; married Rev. Charles Forbush, of Upton, and died August 22, 1851 ; he died 1838. 2. Julia Miranda, born June 25, 1804; married Rev. John Wilde, who died in Alexandria, Virginia, 1868. 3. Jonathan, born November 26, 1806; died Jan- uary 24, 1820. 4. Daniel H., born September 13, 1809; married Jane Jemima Baker; second, Mary Avery White. 5. Esther Louise, born June 22, 1810; died October 3, 1812. 6. Moses, born Sep- tember 25, 1812; married Eliza L. Southwick. 7. Ephraim, mentioned below. 8. Sophia, born January 7, 1821, died unmarried, August 14, 1881.

(VI) Deacon Ephraim Trowbridge Forbes, son of Captain Jonathan Forbes (5), and father of Judge Forbes, was born at Westboro, March 25, 1815. Ile received his education in the common schools and at Phillips Academy, Andover, Massa- chusetts. He taught school in Westboro and Soutli-

boro, and for many years was on the Westboro school committee. He was active in the Evangelical church, and for many years deacon. He resided on the farm formerly owned by his father and grand- father, at the junction of West Main street and the road to North Grafton. He died August 2, 1803. He married, 1842, Catharine White, bora July 25, 1815, daughter of William 'and Nancy ( Avery ) White, of Westboro, formerly of Roxbury, Massa- chusetts, and' great-great-granddaughter of Captain Samuel Adams, father of Governor Samuel Adams, of Massachusetts, descendant of Henry Adams, of Braintree, the iminigrant. Children of Deacon Ephraim T. and Catherine Forbes : I. Cathraine Salome, born September 12, 1845; married, March 12, 1867, Charles Brigham Kittridge; resides at Seattle, Washington. 2. Esther Louise, born June 17, 1847; resides in Westboro. 3. William T., men- tioned below. 4. Francis White, born May 1, 1852; married first, Jane A. Nason, (second) Fannie E. Hooker. 5. Susan Eliza, born September 20, 1854; died December 30, 1860.

(VII) Hon. William Trowbridge Forbes, third child of Deacon Ephraim Trowbridge Forbes (6), was born in Westboro, on the old homestead, May 24, 1850. He fitted for college in the public schools, the Allen Classical School at West Newton, Massa- chusetts, and under the private instruction of Rev. James Tufts, of Monson, Massachusetts. At Am- herst College, where he was graduated in the class of 1871, he received first prize in mathematics in his second year, and a German scholarship in his third year. He was historian of his class, and one of the editors of The Amherst Student. He rowed in his class crew in the regatta of 1870 on the Connecticut river. On leaving college he went to Constantinople, Turkey, and for three years was instructor of mathe- matics in Robert College there. He made a geo- logical survey of the vicinity of Constantinople with Dr. George Washburn, president of the college, col- lecting about two thousand specimens of fossils, many of them new varieties which were exhibited at the Vienna Exposition.

He returned to Worcester to study law in the office of Hopkins & Bacon, and for three years was standing justice of the First district court of East- ern Worcester. He resigned in 1879, and practiced law in Westboro until he was appointed in 1888 to his present position as judge of the courts of pro- bate and insolvency for Worcester county. Judge Forbes held many of the town offices of Westboro. He was representative to general court 1881-82, and state senator from his district 1886-87. He served on the committees on liquor law, being house chair- man, and on the judiciary, probate insolvency. and election laws. In 1887 he prepared and carried through the legislature laws abolishing taxation for church purposes, and providing for the incorpora- tion of churches without a parish or religious so- ciety. He has taken much interest in local his- tory, and wrote the history of Westboro in Lewis's "History of Worcester County," and co-operated in the preparation of the town history published in 1891. He is a Congregationalist in religion, and has been president of the Worcester Congregational Club.

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Historic homes and institutions and genealogical and personal memoirs of Worcester county, Massachusetts, with a history of Worcester society of antiquity, Vol. I, Part 100

Author: Crane, Ellery Bicknell, 1836-1925, ed Publication date: 1907 Publisher: New York, Chicago: The Lewis Publishing Company Number of Pages: 824

Author: Crane, Ellery Bicknell, 1836-1925, ed
Publication date: 1907
Publisher: New York, Chicago: The Lewis Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 824