Historic homes and institutions and genealogical and personal memoirs of Worcester county, Massachusetts, with a history of Worcester society of antiquity, Vol. I, Part 103

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 103

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George Converse Bigelow, eldest child of Amos and Lucy ( Stowe) Bigelow, was born in Sherborn, Massachusetts, March 11, 1828, where his boyhood was passed acquiring a good public school and prac- tical education. After a short residence in Dover, where he learned the trade of carpenter and builder, building the residence of Hon. Henry Wilson in Natick, he removed to Worcester, the city of his adoption, in 1851, and there spent the remainder of his life. He had much native ability and push and soon became a well known contractor and builder, and enjoyed the esteem and confidence of his fellow citizens. The first important work on his own ac- count was the direction of the construction of the Congregational Church in his native town. In 1860 he formed a partnership with his brother, Amos E. Bigelow, which continued until about 1886 under the firm name of G. C. and A. E. Bigelow, car- penters and builders. During this period they erected a large number of buildings in Worcester and vicin- ity. In partnership with Silas E. Batchelder, Beacon street, the firm built Piedmont Congregational Church. corner of Main and Piedmont streets. Among other buildings constructed by the Bigelow firm were St. John's Episcopal Church, Lincoln street ; the Armenian Church, Laurel street; Baptist Church, Lutheran Church, Mulberry street; shops for F. E. Reed; various additions to the Taylor and Farley organ factory, Hanover street; most of the residences on Mt. Pleasant street ; a block of resi- dences on Oread street ; a residence on Main street ; all the blocks of residences on Oread place; three residences on Benefit street; one on Benefit terrace ; a block of two houses on Austin street; a business block on Front street; stores on Main street, &c., were built for the senior partner. Many

handsome buildings were built them

different sections of the city. The firm al- ways enjoyed the highest reputation for business integrity and thorough work, and never met with a failure. After Mr. Bigelow retired from the firm he took the contract for the Knowles build- ing, corner of Main and Chatham streets, one of the finest office buildings in the city at the time of its erection. He was never active in politics, though interested, and did not aspire to public office, but was essentially a home man, where there was shown the radiance of love in his heart for those who were near and dear to him. Mr. Bigelow was an active member of Piedmont Church for seventeen or eighteen years. After a long and painful illness, which he fought bravely, without a murmur he sub- mitted to the inevitable, April 13, 1892, leaving wife and daughter, Alice J., born August 8, 1856, educated at Oread Collegiate Institute, married, October 2, 1879, Frank P. Knowles, of the Crompton & Knowles loom works. They have children: George Francis, born in Worcester, October 19, 1881 ; Alice Marian, born in Worcester, February 2, 1886; and Lillian, born in Worcester, August 26, 1888.

George Converse Bigelow married, at Worcester, November 29, 1855, Eleanor J. Doane, born in Spencer, June 8, 1834, daughter of Cheney and Lorinda (Green) Doane. After finishing her edu- cation at Wesleyan Academy, Wilbraham, Massa- chusetts, and the Oread Collegiate Institute, Wor- cester, she became a teacher in the public schools of Worcester, where she has been a resident for more than fifty years. She has been an active mem- her of Piedmont Church since its first organization, interested and helpful in all charitable and edu- cational work, liberal and fair-minded, kind and free to help others even at the expense of her own in-

terests, cheerful and appreciative of kindness, enter- prising and energetic, with a nature susceptible and responsive to noble influences, and thus thought and life were strengthened with her years. She was also a member of the Woman's Club of Worcester.

History tells us that Deacon John Done, or Doane as the name is now spelled, the progenitor of the Doane family in all its branches in this country, came from England with his wife about 1629, when history also informs us that thirty-five of the Ley- den Company with their families arrived at Plym- outh. He no doubt was one of these and a member of Mr. Robinson's church. While it is not definitely known from what part of the kingdom originally came the founder of the Doane family in America, we are fortunate in having our notes on the English family from the pen of Mrs. Sarah Cash, of Dela- mere, Cheshire, England, a writer well known to the genealogical magazines of her country. Mrs. Cash's home is within the limits of the ancient Delamere Forest, of which for many years the Dones were Chief Foresters, and during the past few years she has contributed to "Chester Notes and Queries" a series of highly interesting articles on the Dones of Utkinton. It is supposed the earliest settlement of Dones at Utkinton was in King John's reign, 1199-1216, as in the old histories at a very early period is given a marriage between a Done and a Kingsley, formerly spelled Kyngslie, and when, as appeared, the ancient Manor of that namie had just passed from a Saxon ownership. The office of forestship, or Rangers of the Forest, by any noble- man holding such post, the same is held, figuratively speaking, by the "tenure of a horn," which particular horn in this case had been held by the Dones through transcending generations. Frequent intermarriages of the Dones with other great families in Cheshire took place as a natural consequence to their relative associations and possessions. This family is allied to one of the notably older families of the county, the Venables of Utkinton, a race spoken of as a race of warriors.

The first and chief residence of the Done family appears to have been at the old Hall of Utkinton, county Chester. Tradition still speaks of the hospital- ities of Utkinton Hall during the occupancy of Sir John Doane. the last possessor of the ancient line. His lady, Dorothy Doane, was possessed of such amiableness of temper and excellency of character, that when a Cheshire man would express excellency in the fair sex, he will say, "as fair as Lady Done," or "there's a Lady Done for you," both of which are well known proverbs to this day in Cheshire. The Dones' monuments still to be seen in Tarporley church are very striking examples of fine arts ; sculptured in marble they retain in a great degree their purity and whiteness, while in the evident care and truthfulness of execution they show ex- cellent workmanship and artistic skill. The medallion wall piece of Sir John Doane in Tarporley Church represents him in the costume of the reign of King James I. his left hand resting upon the hilt of his sword, and with the Done motto, "Ommia Mei Dona Dei." The portrait reproduction of Sir John and Lady Done has been photographed from an ancient painting now hanging in Maple Hall, near Stock- port. There, is a similar portrait of Sir John Done at Arderne Hall, the property of the Earl of Had- dington. The picture is well preserved, though dark in tone, and the figure appears to have been depicted as wearing the Bugle Horn. This Sir John Doane, Knight. born 1576, knighted by James I, at Utkinton, 1617, died April 13, 1629, and was buried at Tar- porley, 1620. He married Dorothy, daughter of Thomas Wilbraham, Esq., of Woodhey, and with

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his youthful bride went to reside for some time, ac- cording to the desire of his father-in-law, in the house of the celebrated John Bruen, of Stapleford, in order to be schooled in the principles and habits of Puritanism. It is very probable that Deacon John Doane, of Plymouth, was a descendant of Sir John Done. Knight, in England.

John Doane must have been known to the Pil- grims previous to his coming to Plymouth. He was a strong man. The Pilgrims were very careful to give no titles where they were not due. The late Amos Otis, genealogist of "Early Barnstable Families," says: In the Plymouth Colony the gov- ernor, deputy governor, magistrates and assistants, ministers of the church, schoolmasters, officers in the militia, men of great wealth or connected with the gentry or nobility, were entitled to be called "Mister" and their wives "Mistress." This rule was rigidly enforced in earlier Colonial times, and in all lists of names it was almost the universal cus- tom to commence with those who stood highest in rank and to follow that order to the end. His associates and the offices he was bidden to under- take by the governor, the court, and by the stif- frages of his townsmen show him to have been a man of superior qualities. The names of the Freemen of the incorporation of Plymouth in New England in 1633 were: Edward Wynslow, governor ; Captain Miles Standish, William Bradford, John Howland, John Alden, John Done, Stephen Hop- kins, William Gilson; Plymouth Colony Record, vol. I, page 3, council. January 2, 1633-34, at this court Mr. John Doane being formally chosen to the office of a deacon in the church, rather than an assistant to the governor in the affairs of the colony, resigned. His position would suggest that he deemed the offices inconsistent one with the other. The question of the day was " Separation and Independence." Hence we can slightly appreciate his course of thought in deciding. Nevertheless Mr. Doane henceforth was frequently summoned to act upon committees for the welfare of the community.

In 1636 Elder Brewster, Pastor Smith and Dea- cons Doane and Jenney, of Plymouth, Jonathan Brewster and Christopher Wadsworth, of Duxbury, James and Anthony Annable, of Scituate, were joined to the governor and council for the preparation of a regular system of laws. They began with the declaration of the Mayflower Compact, &c. Until now, 1636, there was no law establishing the offices of governor, councillors or constables. By general consent for fifteen years they were chosen annually. Goodwin's "Pilgrim Republic." page 401. They as- sembled according to the order and having read the combination made at Cape Cod, the IIth of No- vember, 1620, on board the "Mayflower." they per- formed the important work for which they were appointed. This was the first revision of the laws of the colony, and to be appointed one of the com- mittee for this work was a mark of distinction, show- ing that Deacon Doane was respected for his wis- dom and integrity. Pratt's History of Eastham, page 16, March 3. 1644-45. It is ordered that Mr. Miles Standish, Mr. John Doane and John Dunham shall take the accounts of Mr. Thomas Prence for his treasurership, of its receipts and payments, and certifye the Court thereof; Plym- outh Colony Record, vol. II, page 82.

In 1644 there was a movement toward a new settlement at Nauset, but the final removal was in 1645. The leaders in the enterprise were ex- Governor Thomas Prence, Deacon John Doane. Nicholas Snow. Josiah Cook, Richard Higgins, John Smalley and Edward Bangs. It is noted in Plym- outh Colony Record, vol. XII, that Mr .. John Doane

sold his home in Plymouth in 1645 to Mr. William Hanbury. The territory of Nauset, purchased by the Indians, embraced the greater part of the present town of Orleans, Eastham and Wellfleet. Our fore- father gave the name of Nauset to the whole pur- chase and it was so called until 1651, when the court of Plymouth promulgated an order that hence- forth Nauset should be called Eastham. Deacon Doane had about two hundred acres of land; at various times having land granted him by court as well as by the town, afterwards. In Eastham town affairs Mr. John Doane was an important man. He was appointed by the court, June I, 1663, to soleni- nize marriages and to administer oaths to witnesses. He was a deacon of the First Church there, and served the town as selectman for many years. In 1649-50-51-53-59 he was a deputy to the colony court for Eastham, as he had been in 1642-43 for the town of Plymouth. He died February 21, 1685, aged about ninety-five. In his will his wife's name appears as Abigail. His children were:

I. John. 2. Lydia, who was probably born before her parents came to Plymouth; she mar- ried Samuel Hicks, who came to Plymouth with his mother, younger brother, and sisters in the "AAnn" in 1623. His father, Robert Hicks, came over in the "Fortune" in 1621, and was one of the fore- most of the Pilgrim fathers. Abigail 2 (John I) born January 13, 1631, in Plymouth, married, 1690, Samuel Lothrop, born in England, second son of Rev. John Lothrop, died at Norwich, Connecticut, January 23, 1734-35. John 2, born at Plymouth, 1635, died at Eastham, March 15, 1708; married (first), April 30, 1662, Hannah, daughter of Edward Bangs, who came over to Plymouth in the "Ann" in July, 1623: married (second). January 14, 1694, Rebecca Pettee, whom he outlived. He went with his father's family to Eastham, where he was a man of promi- nence and was for many years in public service. He was a large landholder and was quite extensively engaged in farming. He was a member of the First Church of Eastham. His children were: John 3, born March 20, 1663, died May 15, 1663; John, born May 29, 1664; Ann, born July 25, 1666, died at Orleans, July 12, 1745; Rebecca, born May 12, 1668; Hannah, born May 12, 1669, died June 6, 1765, married, February 12, 1701-02, John Collins, born at Eastham, December IS, 1674, died May 24, 1765, son of Joseph Collins. From them descended the Hon. Enos Collins, a distinguished merchant of Liverpool, Nova Scotia, who married a daughter of Sir Brenton Halliburton, chief justice of Nova Scotia, and who died at Liverpool, in 1871, aged ninety-seven years. Isaac, born June 2, 1670: Sam- uel, born March 2, 1673; David, born about 1674, died November 18, 1748, of whom later. Daniel 2, born about 1636, died December 20, 1712. He was an extensive landholder and a prominent man in Eastham. Ephraim 2, born at Plymouth, re- moved to Eastham, died 1700. He married (first) Mercy Knowles, the daughter of Richard and Ruth (Bower) Knowles; married (second), after 1692, Mary Snow, who was born in Barnstable, Decem- ber II. 1647. died at Eastham, 1703.

David Doane 3. youngest son of John Doane, Jr. 2. born at Eastham, about 1674, died November 18. 1748. Married, September 30, 1701, Dorothy Horton, and in his will in 1738 names his wife Sarah. He was a juryman 1708-09-13-14-15-19-20- 28-30, and a constable 1711-12. Besides being a farmer it is understood that he was a physician, and that he had a lucrative practice is evident. He liad seven sons, viz. : Jonathan, John, Nathan, Eleazer, Joshua, David and Enoch. Daughters : Hannah, married Samuel Atwood, married (second)

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Higgins; Keziah, married Isaac Bacon; married (second) Dr. John Duncain; Abigail, married Prince Collins; Rachel, married - Higgins.

Jonathan Doane 4. born July 7, 1703, at Eastham, died January 24, 1780; married, August 8, 1723, Martha Higgins, and settled in Eastham. He was a representative to the general court, a justice of the peace, town assessor, &c.

Elisha Doane 5, eldest child of Jonathan Doane, born November 24, 1724, at Eastham, Massachusetts, died at Spencer, Massachusetts, about 1810. He was commissioned captain of Sixth (Second East- ham) Company, Second Barnstable Regiment of Massachusetts Militia. April 20, 1776. His widow Martha drew a pension for his revolutionary serv- ices and spent her last days at the home of her grandson in Spencer; she died November 10, 1837, aged eighty-eight years. Their children were: Oliver, born at Eastham, about 1754; Amos, born at East- ham, 1758; Nathan, born Eastham; Elisha, born Eastham. January 7, 1770; Martha; Lucy, married Samuel Flagg.

Nathan Doane 6, born Eastham, died at Brook- field, about 1840; married, May 21, 1785, Betsey Smalley, who died August 7, 1834. He was a soldier in the war of 1812. His children were: eight sons and two daughters, the youngest, John, born De- cember 12, 1803, was drowned December 7, 1816.

Cheney Doane 7, youngest living son of Nathan Doane, born at Brookfield, Massachusetts, April 15, 1802. died April 2, 1866. Married Lorinda Green, of Spencer, born May 7, 1812, died June 9, 1890. Children: Eleanor J., born at Spencer, June 8, 1834, married G. C. Bigelow; Elbridge, born Feb- ruary 2, 1840, was a soldier in the war of the rebellion, enlisting in the Fifteenth Massachusetts Regiment Infantry, Company F, the last of June 1861, was mustered into the United States army July 12, 1861, and was discharged at Worcester, Massachusetts, July 28, 1864. He was engaged in the battles of Balls' Bluff, Fredericksburg and Gettys- burg. He was taken prisoner in the first battle in which he fought and was wounded in the battle of Gettysburg, which caused his absence from his regi- ment for several months, and in consequence of which his health was so depleted that he was put on the list of pensioners. He married Julia Barber, of Esmond. South Dakota, had one daughter, Alma, born February 28, 1892. Lorenzo F., born August 13, 1842, died at St. Louis, Missouri. He enlisted in the Twenty-fourth Regiment Massachusetts In- fantry, Company I, and was promoted to corporal. He was in all the battles fought by the Twenty- fourth Regiment during his term of service and was duly discharged. He married, July 26, 1903, Mary R. Jones, born at Falmouth, Massachusetts, March 10. 1856, daughter of Captain Silas and Harriet B. (Robinson) Jones. Children: Bertha Leigh, born at Pawtucket, Rhode Island, July 29, 1878: Joseph Rob- inson, born Kansas City, Missouri, October 2, 1882 ; Mary Dorothy, born at Clear Lake, Iowa, July 22, 1886; Paul, born at Denver, Colorado, October 12, 1887. Anna Izette, born October 2, 1847, married Rimmon Colton Fay, of Brookfield. February 22, 1870. Children: Walter Chapman, born Hartford, Connecticut, April 28, 1872. died April 29. 1872; Ralph Warren, born Lincoln, Rhode Island, July 28, 1873, died September 7. 1874; Elsie Florence, born Brookfield. Massachusetts. March 21, 1875, teacher in Friends' School, Frankford, Philadelphia, Penn- sylvania ; Arthur Colton, born Pawtucket, Rhode Island, April 18. 1877; George Lucius, born Lincoln, Rhode Island. August 15, 1879; Rimmon Wesley, born Milford, Massachusetts, November 22, 1881 ; Frank Homer, born Milford, Massachusetts, Febru-

ary 14. 1883; Alice Eleanor, born Milford, Massa- chusetts. September 1, 1884. died January 10, 1885; Pauline Ruby, born Hopedale, Massachusetts, Sep- tember 7, 1887; Dorothy Izette, born llion, New York, January 12, 1892.

Thomas Doane, a descendant of Deacon John Doane, of Plymouth, in a direct line from Samuel Doane, brother of David, sons of Jolin, Jr., who was born at Orleans, Massachusetts, September 20, 1821, died October 22, 1879, was one of the first civil engineers of his time, having done very extensive and important work from Massachusetts to Dakota. He was an active member of the Boston Society of Civil Engineers, and was elected president shortly after its organization in 1879, and was nine times re-elected to that position. He became a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers in 1882. From 1869 to 1873, while a resident of Nebraska, he was instrumental in founding "Doane College" situated in Crete, on the "Big Blue" river, twenty miles west of Lincoln, and one of the leading educa- tional institutions of that state, and of which David Brainard Perry, son of Deacon Samuel Perry, of Worcester, is president, and who married Mr. Doane's eldest daughter, Helen, July 3. 1876. Mr. Doane resided for many years at No. 8 Pearl street, in one of the oldest houses in Charlestown. It was at one time owned by Oliver Holden, the composer of the famous hymn "Coronation." who lived there for many years and died in one of the upper rooms.

In 1863 Mr. Doane was appointed chief en- gineer of the Hoosac tunnel, and located the line of the tunnel, built the dam in the Deerfield river to furnish water power, and in this work intro- duced nitroglycerine and electric blasting for the first time in this country. He also introduced com- pressed air, and invented the machinery for it, and had a large share in inventing the pneumatic drills used there. On the opening of the tunnel in 1875 he run the first engine, the "N. C. Munson" through it. In 1869 he went to Nebraska and built two hundred and forty miles of railroad on the ex- tension of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Rail- road. and located and named nearly all the towns on the extension. Completing his work in Nebraska in 1873 he returned to Charlestown, and soon after- wards was appointed consulting engineer of the Hoosac tunnel and had charge of the reconstruc- tion of the Troy and Greenfield Railway and of the tunnel. He finished his duties in this direction in 1877, and two years later was appointed consulting and acting chief engineer of the Northern Pacific Railroad for one year. During that time he lo- cated the Pend d' Oreille division across the Colum- bia Plains in Washington Territory, and parts of the Missouri division in Dakota. Mr. Doane was at one time employed as consulting engineer of the West End Street Railway, Boston, and in the winter of 1877-78. in company with other officials of the railway, visited a number of western cities for the purpose of examining cable systems. A large part of the engineering for the city of Charlestown was done by Mr. Doane previous to that city becoming a part of Boston in 1874. Mr. Doane has at one time or another been connected with all the railroads running out of Boston, but particularly with the Boston & Maine. In company with his brother, John Doane, Jr., he opened an office at No. 21 City Square under the firm name of T. and J. Doane, Jr., for the general practice of civil engineering and surveying, an office which was maintained until his death in 1897.

WILLIAM HOWE BLISS, son of Harrison and Sarah (Howe) Bliss, was born September 23,

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1850, at Worcester, Massachusetts. His mother was the daughter of William and Sarah ( Hayden) Howe, of Worcester. He attended the public schools and Highland Military Academy. He entered Worcester Academy but did not complete his course. He be- gan his business life in the jewelry business in 1870. Later he was superintendent of the Boston, Clinton & Fitchburg Railroad at New Bedford, a position he filled for two years. For a year he was at Tif- fin, Ohio, engaged in the manufacture of staves for oil and flour barrels. Since the death of his father his time has been occupied in the care of the real estate and property. He was formerly a member of the Tatnuck Country Club and of the Hancock Club. He is a member of the Worcester Society of Antiquity. He married (first) May 31, 1883, Nellie J. Winch, daughter of Martin Winch. He married (second), April 15, 1891, Florence E. W. Weston, daughter of David and Almira Weston, of Fort Fairfield, Maine. Almira Weston was the daughter of Rev. Amos and Mary ( Watson) Par- mer an English clergyman who came to New Bruns- wick as a missionary. Mrs. Bliss was born at Fort Fairfield, Aroostook county, Maine. The children of these two marriages were: Elizabeth Howe, born January II, 1886, now at Smith College, class of 1908; Sarah, June 7, 1893, died August 22, 1894; Florence, May 22, 1895; and Dorothea, November 17, 1898.

(I) Thomas Bliss, was the last English ances- tor of the Bliss family of Worcester. He resided at Belstone and was a man of property. He was a Puritan and his wealth and prominence perhaps invited the persecution he suffered and through which he lost both his wealth and his health. He was imprisoned for his religious and political views. His children, of whom Thomas and George emi- grated to America to escape persecution, were : Jonathan, died 1635-36; Thomas, died in 1640; Elizabeth, married Sir John Calcliffe, of Belstone ; George, born 1591, died August 31, 1667; and Mary (Polly).

(II) Jonathan Bliss, son of Thomas Bliss (I). of Belstone, was born about 1580 at Belstone. On account of his non-conformist views he was per- secuted and virtually driven out of England, suf- fering heavy fines and eventualy dying at an early age from a fever contracted in prison. Four chil- dren are said to have died in infancy, two grew up. They were: Thomas, died in 1649; and Mary.

(III) Thomas Bliss, of Rehoboth, Massachut- setts, son of Jonathan Bliss, of Belstone, England, was born in Belstone, and on the death of his father in 1636 he removed to Boston, thence to Braintree, thence to Hartford, Connecticut, thence back to Weymouth, Massachusetts, and in 1643, with others he helped make the settlement at Rehoboth. He was a freeman at Cambridge, May 18, 1642, and in Plymouth colony January 4, 1645. In June, 1645, of that year he drew a lot of land at the Great Plain, Seekonk. In 1646 he was fence viewer, in 1647 the surveyor of highways, two important of- fices in the colonial days. He died at Rehoboth, June, 1649, and is buried in the graveyard at See- konk, Massachusetts, now Rumford, East Provi- dence, Rhode Island. His will was proved June 8. 1649. Their children were: Jonathan, born about 1625, died about 1687; married Thomas Williams ; Mary, married Nathaniel Harmon, of Braintree ; Nathaniel, possibly of Springfield, seems to have left no descendants in male line. ( See Chapin Genealogy.)

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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 103

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