Historic homes and institutions and genealogical and personal memoirs of Worcester county, Massachusetts, with a history of Worcester society of antiquity, Vol. I, Part 106

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 106

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

(VI) The Rev. Frederic W. Bailey, son of

William Egbert and Jane S. Bailey, was born in Brooklyn, New York, January 31, 1858. Graduat- ing from the public schools he was for a time with 11. J. Baker & Brother, wholesale druggists of New York. Under the pastoral care of Rev. Dr. Almon Gunnison, then pastor of All Souls Church, Brook- lyn, he was led to think of the ministry as his voca- tion. He graduated from St. Lawrence University, Canton, New York, in 1878, with the degree of B. D., and after serving in pastorates at East Jaffrey, New Hampshire, and Hightstown, New Jersey, and persuing a course of study at the Boston School of Oratory under Professor Moses True Brown, he received a call from the new All Souls' Universalist Church on Kilby street, Worcester, as its first pastor. For some three years he served thus, in which time the land at the corner of Woodland and Norwood streets was secured and plans for a new brown stone church were drawn after designs prepared by Mr. James A. Norcross, who was greatly interested in the enterprise. At this period Mr. Bailey found him- self little in sympathy with the prevailing thought of the Universalist denomination, and in January, 1889, promptly withdrew therefrom to seek orders in the Episcopal church. He was confirmed at St. James' Church, Cambridge, and after a special course at the General Theological Seminary, New York, was ordained Deacon by the Rt. Rev. B. H. Paddock, D. D., Bishop of Massachusetts, at Christ Church, Brooklyn, Eastern District, in 1889, and a priest in St. Paul's Church, Natick, in 1890. Of this parish he remained in charge till 1891, establish- ing during that time the St. Andrew's Church in Wellesley, which became part of his parish. In 1891 he returned to Worcester as the rector's as- sistant at All Saints Church, and in 1893 was called to the rectorship of the Church of the Ascension in New Haven, Connecticut. In 1898 he was chosen Secretary of the Commission on Parochial Archives, diocese of Connecticut, and copyist, and did muchi to preserve the old church records and papers there. Since 1901 he has resided at 33 Harvard street, Worcester, and is serving as a missionary of the diocese of Western Massachusetts, under his former associate, Bishop Vinton. He had charge of Christ Church, Rochdale, in 1903, re-opened and renovated the dormant Grace Church, Oxford, and in 1905 established the Holy Trinity Church at Southbridge.

Mr. Bailey is widely known as a genealogist and historian, especially such as pertains to early Con- necticut. He has himself published seven books of early Connecticut marriages, all taken from church records, and two books of early Massachusetts mar- riages all of which have had wide circulation and have been of great service in establishing old family connections. In 1892 he copyrighted and patented a book for the keeping of family records and trac- ing ancestry which is in such favor that a fourth edition is now contemplated, greatly enlarged and im- proved. He is a member of the New England His- toric Genealogical Society in Boston, the New Haven Colony Historical Society, and the Massachusetts Society of the Sons of the American Revolution.

On January 14, 1891, Mr. Bailey married at Worcester, Lena Olive Marble, daughter of Jerome and Susan Emeline (Blanchard) Marble. Her father was born at Charlton, September 10, 1824, and died in Worcester, February 14, 1906. He married, March 21. 1849, Susan Emeline, daughter of Will- iam K. Blanchard, of Charlton (son of Isaac) and Susanna Boomer, who descended through her father, Rev. James Boomer, from Matthew Boomer, an original settler of Freetown, Massachusetts. The children of Jerome and Susan E. Marble were: Fenella and Lena Olive, as mentioned above. Jerome

372

WORCESTER COUNTY

Marble was for years the leading wholesale dealer in paints and oils of Worcester, having also a branch at Boston.

John Putnam Marble, the father of Jerome, was born in Charlton, October I, 1802, and died in Wor- cester, January 23, 1901, at 33 Harvard street, where he had for some years resided. He married, No- vember 30, 1823, Ruth Ann, daughter of William P. Ryder, a great-grandson of Eleazer Ryder, of Sherborn, and of his wife Elizabeth, daughter of Major General Salem Towne, of Oxford, who de- scended from William Towne, an original settler of Salem, Massachusetts. They had two children : Thaddeus, who died single in 1852, and Jerome, mentioned above.

Thaddeus Marble, father of John Putnam Mar- ble, was born in Sutton, February 24, 1758, and died in Charlton, March 19, 1817. He was a scythe maker. He married Olive, daughter of John Put- nam, of Sutton, son of Jeptha, who was great- grandson of John Putnam, an original settler of Salein, Massachusetts, in 1634. (See sketch of the Putnam family of Sutton, Massachusetts, in this work.)

Enoch Marble, father of Thaddeus, was a son of Fregrace Marble the pioneer of the family at Sutton, and a son of Samuel, of Andover. (See the Marble family elsewhere in this work.)

The children of Rev. Frederic William and Lena Olive (Marble) Bailey are: John Marble, born October 17, 1891, at Worcester ; Nella May, August 25, 1897, at New Haven, Connecticut ; Frederic Starr, October 18, 1900, at New Haven, Connecticut.

GEORGE W. CARR, president of the George WV. Carr Company of Worcester, was born in St. Johns, New Brunswick, May 24, 1853. a son of Charles and Eliza (Smith) Carr, natives of London and Hull, England, respectively. Charles Carr ( father), a sailmaker by trade, came to St. Johns, New Brunswick, from England, in early manhood, and was there united in marriage to Eliza Smith.

George W. Carr was educated in the public schools of St. Johns. He began his business life as clerk in a men's furnishing goods, boot and shoe store, acquiring thereby a thorough knowledge of the duties of that position and performing the same in a highly creditable manner. He came to Worcester, Massachusetts, in September, 1873. After working a short time at harness making and carriage trimming, he engaged in business in part- nership with Eugene Curtis, under the firm name of Curtis & Carr, in the construction of concrete roofs and walks. Later he was in partnership with Charles O. Richardson in the same business. The firms with which Mr. Carr has been connected have conducted a large and profitable business in Wor- cester and vicinity, especially in gravel roofs and artificial stone, granolithic and concrete constric- tion. In 1901 the firm was incorporated under the name of the George W. Carr Company with George W. Carr as president, H. C. Wilson as treasurer, and A. H. Carr as superintendent of the work in Worcester and vicinity. In 1906 this firm assumed the interests of the Carr and Anderson corporation of Boston, and Mr. J. Fred Carr became the man- ager of the Boston office.

Among the more important contracts for con- crete work of extensive proportions are the follow- ing: The New Home Sewing Machine Company works at Orange, Massachusetts: Saunders cotton mill at Saundersville; Paul Whitin Manufacturing Company at Northbridge; Draper Machine Com- pany at Hopedale; Chapel Mills Manufacturing Company at Cherry Valley, Leicester; L. S. Star-

rett Company mill at Athol; Bayard Thayer's sta- ble at Lancaster (granolithic) ; Harry Payne Whit- ney's stable at Manhasset, Long Island; Art Museum building at Pittsfield; Zenas Crane's place at Pitts- field; Hon. L. D. Apsley's place at Hudson; rail- road station for the New York, New Haven & Hartford Company at Marlboro; C. K. G. Billings' place, New York city; new City Hall, Worcester, (granolithic) ; residence of Henry C. Pratt on Burn- coat street, Worcester; residence of Luther C. Brown on Cedar street, Worcester ; driveway and wall of residence of George F. Hutchins, Ripley street, Worcester; sidewalks of Westland street, Vernon street and Stoneland road; sidewalk of Conservatory of Music, Boston; sidewalk and in- terior of Horticultural Hall, Boston; East Boston Drainage (concrete) of the Boston & Albany Railroad; retaining walls, steps, paving and yard of the Roger Wolcoot school, Dorchester; grano- lithic floors and sidewalks of Motor Mart, Boston; waterproofing floors and basement of Eden Jordan's stable, Boston; granolithic floor of Anglier building, Brockton, and tar concrete work of car shop, Port -- land, Maine.

George W. Carr married, August, 1885, Georgi- anna Kindred, daughter of Amos and Sarah (Ketch) Kindred, of New Brunswick, natives of England and New Brunswick, respectively, and one child was born to them, Ella L. Carr. Mr. Carr is a mem- ber of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and Knights of Pythias.

FREDERICK WILLIAM BLACKMER. Will- iam Blackmer, or Blackmore (1), as it was some- times spelled, was the emigrant ancestor of Fred- erick W. Blackmer, of Worcester. He came from England in 1665 to Scituate to live with his uncle, Peter Collamore, who had inade him one of his heirs. Mr. Collamore came to Scituate early. He was a proprietor in 1640, was able to bear arms 1643, and was a town officer in 1650. He lived about twenty years after his nephew came to New England, and the nephew had a family and had been dead about eight years when the uncle died in 1664. Mr. Collamore made his will January 16, 1683. It was probated June 4, 1664. It mentioned his wife Mary; and various relatives among then the four chil- dren of William Blackmer, Peter, John, Phebe and William Blackmer.

A farm was laid out to William Blackmer at Scituate by the freemen. It was located where the late Captain Elijah Curtis resided. He married, July 17, 1666, Elizabeth Bankes. In 1669 he was freed from military duty on account of the loss of an eye, yet he must have volunteered when King Philip's war desolated the colonies, for he was killed by the Indians, April 21, 1676. On January 24, 1677, his widow married Jacob Bumpas, who was born March 28, 1644, at Duxbury, son of Edward Bumpas (originally Bonrepos), of Plymouth, who came on the "Fortune" in 1621. Jacob and Elizabeth Bumpas had two sons and other children and left many de- scendants in Middletown and Rochester, Massachu- setts, where they settled later.

The children of William Blackmer were: Peter, baptized July 7, 1667; John, baptized May 29, 1670, married Anna Branch. December 19, 1700, resided at Marshfield, Massachusetts: Phebe, baptized Sep- tember 22, 1672, married Ebenezer Holmes ; William, baptized April 11, 1675, was an infant only a few days old when his father was killed, died 1698, 11n- married. leaving his property to his brothers and their children.

(II) Peter Blackmer, son of William Blackmer (I), was born May 25, 1667, at Scituate, Massachu-

373

WORCESTER COUNTY

setts, and died at Rochester, Massachusetts, August I, 1717. He married Elizabeth ,and became one of the pioneers and first settlers of Rochester, Massachusetts. He married (second) at Rochester Sarah Edwards, daughter of Samuel Edwards, Octo- ber 24, 17II. All but the last two children, Samuel (2d) and Mary, were by his first wife, and all but Peter were born at Rochester.

The children of Peter Blackmer were: Peter, born probably at Scituate, died 1692; John, born September 25, 1690: Jane, born December 8, 1693; Jemima, born November 16, 1695; Joseph, born September 4, 1697; William, born October 11, 1699; Peter, born March 21, 1702; Stephen, born July 27, 1704; Samuel, born April 12, 1705, died young ; . Samnel, born July 20, 1712; Mary, born November 5, 1714.

(III) Peter Blackiner, son of Peter Blackmer (2), was born at Rochester, Massachusetts, March 21, 1702. He and his older brother, John Blackmer, settled in Warren and Palmer, Massachusetts. John Blackmer raised a family at Rochester. He mar- ried Mercy Brickett, March 5, 1711-12, and had Nathaniel, born July 3, 1712; Elizabeth, born March 12. 1713-14; Susannah, born July 8, 1716; John, born March 21, 1717-18: Mary, born March 8, 1719-20. John drew sixty-three acres in the second division of Palmer in 1746, on John Patterson's right, and Peter in 1743 drew thirty acres in the first division of the common lands on Joseph Brooks' right in Palmer. Peter Blackmer of Palmer was in Captain Buckminster's company at Fort Dummer, August 6 to 20, 1748, in the French and Indian war. He later settled at Warren, Massachusetts. John Black- mer who fought against the Indians in 1758, in this vicinity, was probably a son of Peter. The names of his children have not been found. He had a son Peter, Jr., born 1729.

(IV) Peter Blackmer, son of Peter Blackmer (3), was born near Warren or Palmer, Massachu- setts, in 1729. He moved to Greenwich about 1760, and was one of the prominent men of that town. He married Esther Sheppard, who died October 17. 1801, aged seventy-two years. He was a farmer. His place is now or was recently owned by George Wheeler. Their children were born from about 1760 to 1790. Not all the dates have been preserved. Their children were: Rolen or Roland, engaged in Shay's Rebellion, went to Pelham, was treasurer and selectman of that town, had Mary, David, Peter, Susan, Esther, Thankful, Amos, Asa, Moses ; Mary, married Archibald Lammon ; David, married Louise Stebbins; Peter, born 1781, died July 2, 1838; mar- ried Betsey Stebbins : Susan, married Abner Strone ; Esther, married Bethens Huck; Thankful, married Barnabas Sears ; Asia, married Sally Stebbins ; Amos, born November 1, 1769, died April 18, 1823, mar- ried Margaret Gray, who died March 7. 1853, aged seventy-three years ; Moses, married Mary Vaughan. (V) Amos Blackmer, son of Peter Blackmer (1), was born at Greenwich, November I. 1769. He married (intentions March 7), 1802, Margaret Gray, daughter of Daniel Gray, of Pelham. They settled in Prescott, Massachusetts, on the farm of Daniel Gray. Amos died April 18, 1823; his wife died March 7. 1853. Their children, all born at Greenwich, Massachusetts, were: Mary D., born 1805, died young; Daniel Gray, born 1809, mar- ried Adeline Sears, of Prescott, Massachusetts ; Peter, born October 31, 1811. died February 27, 1882; he never married; William H., born April 14, 1814, died November 15, 1885; moved from Prescott to Hardwick in 1858; Esther Shepard, born May 12, 1821, died in North Brookfield, December 18, 1885; Amos Harvey, born November 12, 1817.

married Lydia E. Sanger, of Westboro, Massachu- residing at Greenwich, where he died January 17, 190I.

(VI) William Hack Blackmer, born at Prescott, Massachusetts, April 14, 1814, married Harriet Newell Howe, at Worcester, April 14, 1839; he died November 15, 1885. He settled in Hardwick, Massa- chusetts, in 1858, on the Petersham road. He was a farmer and his widow is now living at No. 150 Lincoln street, Worcester, Massachusetts. She was born July 16, 1817. The children of William Hack and Harriet N. Blackmer were: Francis Thaxter, born in Worcester, March 30, 1844, died in Wash- ington, D. C., January 15, 1884; Daniel Gray, born in Prescott, January 3. 1846, died in Worcester, November 30, 1872; William, born in Prescott, July 10. 1847, died July 26, 1847; Mary Anjeannette, born in Prescott, September 18, 1848, died in Hardwick, December 24. 1869; Edwin Augustus, born in Pres- cott, November 9, 1850, died in Worcester, No- vember 30, 1882; Charles Henry, born in Prescott, November 23, 1852, died in Hardwick, December I. 1869: Emory Washburn, born in Prescott, May 24, 1854, died in Hardwick, December 24, 1869: Hattie Adaline, born in Prescott, June 29, 1856, died March 30, 1857: Frederick William, born in Hard- wick. April 10, 1858; George Albert, born in Hard- wick, March 26, 1860, died in Colorado Springs, Colorado, April 25, 1889; Herbert Theodore, born in Hardwick, February 1I, 1862, died in Worcester, July 14. 1902.

(VII) Francis T. Blackmer, son of William H. (6), was born in Worcester, Massachusetts, 1844. but spent his boyhood in Prescott and Hardwick, where his parents lived. He was educated in the district schools and at Wilbraham Academy. When twenty years of age he returned to Worcester to enter the law office of the late Hon. William W. Rice. He was admitted to the bar in 1867, but he continued in the employ of Mr. Rice until he was admitted to partnership. In 1875 he was elected city solicitor of Worcester, and he continued in' this office until 1881, when he resigned to take the place as district attorney of Judge Staples, who was at that time promoted to the bench. In both of these important public offices he was distinguished for faithful and able service. In 1883 his health failed so that he was obliged to give up work. He tried by rest and travel to regain his health, but the struggle was vain, and in January, 1884, he died at Washington, D. C., at the very beginning of one of the most promising legal careers and with remarkable attainments for a lawyer only forty years old. He was particularly successful as a trial lawyer. He was very effective, in persuading juries to his way of thinking. His familiarity with Yankee char- acter and his easy confidence-winning mannerisms commanded the attention of rural jurors as nobody else could. He probably became known to more persons in the course of his career as a lawyer and district attorney than any other lawyer in the county. In the examination of witnesses he had no peer among his contemporaries. He was always in con- trol of his temper and composed under the greatest stress.

(VII) Frederick William Blackmer, son of Will- iam H. Blackmer (6), was born April 10, 1858, at Hardwick, Massachusetts. He attended the com- mon schools in towns where his parents lived, and fitted for college at Barre Academy and the Hitch- cock high school at Brimfield, Massachusetts. He came to Worcester in 1880 to enter the office of Francis T. Blackmer. his brother, and take a course at the law school. He had hardly become familiar with the details of his brother's practice when his

374

WORCESTER COUNTY

brother was taken sick, retired and died. The busi- ness needed him and his legal education was gained by hard work in actual practice. He had to give up the plan to go to the law school. In 1883 he was admitted to the bar at Fitchburg. Shortly after his brother's death he formed a partnership with Ernest H. Vaughan. In March. 1884, the new firm opened offices in the old postoffice building on Pearl street. After a year they moved to the Walker building, and on the completion of the State Mutual building they took the corner suite, No. 801-804, where they are at present. For about ten years Blackmer & Vaughan have ranked as the oldest firm of lawyers in Worcester. They have been ex- tremely successful in their practice for over twenty years. They have made a specialty of corporation cases, especially bankruptcy proceedings, and settle- ments of financial embarrassments. They have or- ganized hundreds of corporations and are regular counsel for over fifty different corporations. Their most notable achievement in court perhaps was in the famous Kettle Brook litigation. They won some one hundred and twenty suits for damages against the city of Worcester on account of the taking of water for city uses. The damages amounted to about $680,000 in all.

Mr. Blackmer is a member of the Commonwealth Club and the Worcester Golf Club. He and his fam- ily attend the Central Congregational Church. He enjoys travel and has made frequent trips to the south and west. He is familiar with every city in California and with most of the cities of the north- west. He resides in a very attractive new home on Massachusetts avenue.

He married in 1883, Maggie Osgood Whitney, daughter of Lovell and Hannah (Moore) Whitney, of Boylston, Massachusetts, and a descendant of John Whitney, who came to Watertown in April, 1625. Their children are: Ralph Fred, born itt 1885, graduated from Worcester Academy in the class of 1904; Albert Whitney, born in 1887. graduated from Worcester Academy in the class of 1905, and now a member of the class of 1909 in Amherst College ; Waldo Harvey, born in 1890; and Bernice, born in 1893.

ALBERT GEARY MANN. Richard Mann (I), who was in the town of Scituate, Massachusetts, be- fore 1644, was the emigrant ancestor of the late Albert Geary Mann, of Worcester, and his family. He took the oath of fidelity there January 15, 1644. He was one of the. twenty-six partners in the cele- brated Conihassett grant in 1646. He was drowned February 16, 1655. while crossing the ice on the pond near his house. John Hoar, who subsequently went to Concord, Massachusetts, was his near neigh- bor and was on the jury that held an inquest after the death. The verdict shows that with the vain attempts of those present to help him he struggled for an hour and finally succumbed to the cold and was drowned. It is supposed that Rebecca Mann who married John Cowen in 1656 was the widow of Richard Mann. The name of Richard's wife was Rebecca. Richard Mann was a farmer or planter, and one of the original proprietors. His farm was beautifully located. His neighbor on the south was John Hoar, who early removed to Con- cord. Massachusetts. On the cast was the sea and on the north was Musquascut pond, in which the drowning accident happened.

The children of Richard and Rebecca Mann were : Nathaniel, born September 23, 1646, died July 20, 1688: Thomas, born August 15. 1650. married Sarah, died 1732: Richard, born February 5. 1652. mar- ricd Elizabeth Sutton; Josiah, horn December 10,

1654, probably died young, though he may be the Josiah who was in Boston 1674-5-6.

(II) Richard Mann, son of Richard Mann (I), was born February 5, 1652, at Scituate, Massachu- setts. He married Elizabeth Sutton, who was born in 1662. She was the eldest daughter of John Sut- ton, of Scituate, and granddaughter of Elder Na- thaniel Tilden, who was a wealthy citizen and emigrated from Tenterden, in Kent, England, be- fore 1628, and settled in Scituate, Massachusetts. Richard Mann was three years old at the time of his father's death, and four when his mother married John Cowen. When eleven he was ap- prenticed to Governor Thomas Hinckley, of Barn- stable, for a term of ten years. He was a soldier in King Philip's war and received his portion of land for services, especially at the Narragansett sortie fight, so-called. This tract of land was at Hebron, Connecticut, and was deeded later by him to his son Nathaniel. In 1703 he sold his farm at Scituate to his brother Thomas, and about the same time deeded a tract of Connihasset land to Gershom Ewell. April 13, 1703, he bought a farm of three thousand acres at Middleboro, Massachusetts, of John Allen. Soon afterward he settled at Lebanon, Connecticut, where he spent the remainder of his days. All his children, except the youngest, Elisha, were born before the family left Scituate.

The children were: 1. John, born April 7, 1684. was in Lebanon, Connecticut, 1719, but removed to western Massachusetts or to New Hampshire, where he raised a family. 2. Rebecca, born March 22, 1686. married Isaac Tilden, of Lebanon, June 4, 1716, and had six children. 3. Hannah, born April 13, 1689. 4. Nathaniel, born October 27, 1693, married (first) Mary Root. 5. Richard, born March 10, 1694, mar- ried probably Mary Culver, July 23, 1719, settled at Lebanon, Connecticut, and had Esther, born De- cember I8. 1721, removed to New Hampshire or Massachusetts. 6. Elizabeth, born August 27, 1696. 7. Abigail, born February 23, 1698-9, probably mar- ried at Lebanon, April 6, 1721, Simon Baxter. 8. Elisha, resided for a time at Lebanon.

(FHf) Nathaniel Mann, son of Richard Mann (2), was born at Scituate, Massachusetts, October 27, 1693. He removed early with his parents to Lebanon, Connecticut, about 1704. He married (first) Mary Root. of Hebron, Connecticut, February 1, 1713. She died May 19, 1728. He married (second) Mary Sprague, March 4. 1729. She died October 15, 1735. He married (third) Patience Role, September 5, 1736. He had six children by his first wife and two by his second, according to the records of Hebron, Connecticut. where they were born. Mary Root was the daughter of Jacob Root, son of John Root, one of the first settlers of Hartford, Connecticut. Jacob Root was one of the first settlers of Northamp- ton, Massachusetts, removed to Hebron, Connecticut, 1705, and was one of those chosen to run the bounds between Colchester and Hebron in 1710. He died August 9, 1731, aged about seventy. Mary was born at Northampton. November 24, 1689.

The children of Nathaniel Mann were: Joseph, born April 5. 1713 (probably 1714) : Nathaniel, born June 16, 1715-16, married Deborah Tillotson, June 5, 1739: Benjamin, born March 3. 1717; John, born November 20, 1721, married (first) Margaret Peters ; Mary, born June 5, 1723; Nathan, born June 20, 1727, married Elizabeth Skinner, February 12, 1752, and had five children; Abigail, born February 14, 1730-31 ; Abijah, born August 7, 1734, married Sarah Porter.

(IV) John Mann, son of Nathaniel Mann (3), was born at Hebron, Connecticut, November 20, 1720, died June 4, 1806. The Mann farm at Hebron

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

Historic homes and institutions and genealogical and personal memoirs of Worcester county, Massachusetts, with a history of Worcester society of antiquity, Vol. I, Part 106

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