Historic homes and institutions and genealogical and personal memoirs of Worcester county, Massachusetts, with a history of Worcester society of antiquity, Vol. I, Part 128

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 128


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).


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(V) Seth Pierce, son of Samuel Pierce (4), was born in Woburn, Massachusetts, or at Mans- field, Connecticut, after his parents removed, No- vember 30, 1716. He married Elizabeth Nye, of Tolland, Connecticut, who was born 1680 and died May 14, 1749. Seth settled in Mansfield, Con- necticut, where the children were born, viz. : Seth, born September 12, 1744, see forward; Elizabeth, born June 2, 1748, married Bennett Fields : Enoch; Daniel, married - Nye, of Montpelier, Vermont.


(VI) Seth Pierce, son of Seth Pierce (5). was born in Mansfield. Connecticut. He was a captain in the revolution in the Connecticut regiment com- manded by Major Smith on the New Haven Alarm, 1779. He married, April 17, 1767, Bethia Fields, who was born in 1745 and died September 18, 1807. He married ( second), 1813, Patty Rindge. He died at Homer, New York, in 1835, at an advanced age. The children: Sarah, born November 20, 1767, married Royal Storrs; Lucinda, born September 14. 1769. married, November 27, 1788, Thomas Welch and had a large family; Bennett, born September 12, 1771, died March 17, 1773; Gordon, born August 31, 1773, married, 1796, Thirza Smalley ; Bennett, born July 14. 1775: Samuel, born May 23, 1777, died August 26, 1778; Samuel, born May 20, 1779. married Persis Barrows; Elijah, born April 27, 1781, married, February 8, 1801, Patty Moulton : Seth, born February 17, 1784; Daniel, born March 16, 1786; Elizabeth, born September 12, 1788; mar- ried Chester Collins ; Bela, born April 13, 1792.


(VII) Samuel Pierce, son of Seth Pierce (6), was born May 20, 1779. He married, 1800, Persis Barrows, who was born October, 1783. and died February 5, 1858. He died August 17, 1858. They resided in Brimfiled and Hardwick, Massachusetts. The house of Samuel Pierce was on the boundary line between Hardwick and Ware, and it is related that he slept in two towns and two counties every night, his head in Ware, Hampshire county, and his


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feet in Hardwick, Worcester county. Their chil- dren : Seth, born May 15, 1802, married, Septem- ber 22, 1831, Fidelia Bassett. Chester, born June 20, 1803, married, March 15, 1831. Abigail Marsh. Eliza, born February 7, 1805, married, February 10, 1825, William Pepper and had : Caroline W., born March 4, 1828, married George F. Tyler ; Samuel J., born November 2, 1829, married Sarah Torrey: Abbie F., born June 24, 1832, married D. A. Sampson; William A., born June 25, 1834; Ashbell, born April 7, 1838, married Martha Sib- ley; Elijah, born April 27, 1840; Austin, born Jan- uary 23, 1845, married Eva Burnett. Granger, born 1806, see forward. S. Austin, born October 6, 1808, married January 28, 1831, Roxanne Harwood. William, born March 4, 1810, married Sarah With- erell. Brigham, born 1812, married Mrs. Cook. Mandly, born October 31, 1817, married, May 3, 1842, Emily Thomas. Octavia, born December 18, 1819, married, December 15, 1844, Byram H. Hervey, re- sided in New Braintree.


(VIII) Granger Pierce, son of Samuel Pierce (7), was born in Hatfield, Massachusetts, November 7, 1800. At an early age he removed with his par- ents to Hardwick, Massachusetts, where he was educated in the common schools, working also at home on the farm. He began to work out on various farms in that locality until his mar- riage in 1822, when he settled in New Braintree, Massachusetts. He bought there the old Warner place near the Winnimisett brook, where Warner killed the Indian. Elcazer Warner was the leading settler before incorporation of the town. Here was formerly an Indian town of considerable importance, the headquarters and chief rendezvous of the Indians when Brookfield was destroyed in King Philip's war. In 1865 Pierce came to Worcester and bought the old Reed farm on Holden street, a place of historic interest, and continued there farming until his death, March 17, 1886. He was a Congregation- alist in religion and attended the Central Church, Worcester. He was in his early days a Whig and Democrat, but in later years a Republican. He be- longed to the famous old Horse Thief Detecting Society at New Braintree and to the Worcester West Agricultural Society at Barre, Massachusetts. He was a member of the Hardwick militia company at one time.


He married, February 16, 1832, at Hardwick, Mercy Stockwell of Massachusetts, a neighboring town. She was the daughter of Simon and Dolly Stockwell. Their children: Rufus Jud- son, born January 12, 1839, see forward; Scott Theodore, born June, 1841, was a member of the Fifty-third Massachusetts Regiment and died in the service during the civil war.


(1X) Rufus Judson Pierce, son of Granger Pierce (S), was born in New Braintree, Massachu- setts, January 12, 1839. While a mere lad he worked with his father on the farm, going to school in his native town and later at New Salem Academy and the Deerfield Academy at Deerfield, Massachusetts. At the age of twenty he began to give all his time to his father's farm. In 1865 his father and he went to Worcester and bought the Rogers farm, known also as the old Reed farm, Holden street, wliere Scott T. Pierce now lives. The farm origi- nally consisted of sixty acres. Rufus Pierce con- tinued in the management of the farm until his father's death, March 17, 1886, when he became the owner. Though he sold off some of the farm he continued to carry on the place until shortly be- fore his death, when he turned the management over to his son Scott. He died February 5, 1903, at his home. He was a Universalist in religion aud


attended the First Universalist Church, Worces- er. In politics he was a Republican. He was a member of Worcester Grange, Patrons of Hus- bandry, No. 22, and of the North Worcester Aid Society.


He married, April 18, 1860, Sarah E. Nye, who was born September 25, 1834. daughter of Hosea W. and Emily (Bartlett) Nye, of Hardwick, Massa- chusetts; her father was a blacksmith. The only child was: Scott Theodore, born December 23, 1864, see forward.


(X) Scott Theodore Pierce, son of Rufus Jud- son Pierce (9), was born at New Braintree, Massa- chusetts, December 23, 1864. He removed when a year old to Worcester with his parents and was educated there in the public schools and at Foster's Business College, where he graduated. For a num- ber of years he assisted his father on the farm. In 1888 he started a retail milk business, selling the milk from his father's dairy. He gradually took charge of the farm. He sold out his milk business January 1, 1901. At the death of his father, Feb- ruary 5, 1903, he inherited the farm and has con- tinued to run it since then. In June, 1903, he erected the present modern residence on a sightly spot some distance from the main road, commanding a pictur- esque view of Indian lake. It is one of the most attractive residences in that section of the city. Mr. Pierce makes a specialty of market gardening and cider, having a cider mill on the farm. The present area of the farm is about fifty acres. Mr. Pierce is a member of the First Universalist Church. In politics he is a Republican. He is a member of Quinsigamond Lodge of Odd Fellows, No. 43, of Worcester; of Worcester Grange, Patrons of Hus- bandry, No. 22; of the Worcester Yacht Club and of the Worcester Agricultural Society. He is an act- ive member and director of the North Worcester Aid Company, a charitable organization.


He married, October 15, 1890, Nancy Davis Chamberlain, who was born at Holden, October 12, 1866, the daughter of Sumner and Cynthia (Clapp) Chamberlain, of Holden. They have one child, Ralph Chamberlain, born at Worcester, Au- gust 20, 1891.


EARLE FAMILY. Ralph Earle (1), who was in Newport, Rhode Island, as early as 1638, was the emigrant ancestor in the paternal line of Mrs. Emily D. Richardson, of Worcester, Massachusetts. He married Joan Savage, who was born in England 1594 or 1595. Ralph Earle was born in 1606 and they were doubtless married in England. Ralph Earle was one of fifty-nine persons admitted, October 1, 1638, freemen of the Island of Aqneedneck ( New- port). He bought and sold land frequently for many years in various parts of Rhode Island. In 1655 and 1669 he served on the grand jury. On May 25th, he was appointed by the court of commis- sioners to keep a house of entertainment. He joined a company of horse August 10, 1667, and later was chosen captain. On June 7, 1671, he was on a special jury to try two Indians. Ralph claimed the lands of the Dutch House of Good Hope, now Hartford, Connecticut, and commenced a lawsuit to establish his claim against Richard Lord and James Richard, possessors of the Dutch land, about 1667. Earle affirmed that he purchased the land of Underhill in August, 1653, and paid him twenty pounds sterling for it; but Underhill protested against the claim of Earle. It is not improbable that the claim was well founded.


The children of Ralph and Joan Earle were : Ralph, married Dorcas Sparague; William, married (first) Mary Walker; (second) Prudence


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Mary, married William Cory; Martha, married William Wood; Sarah, married Thomas Cornell. (Il) William Earle, son of Ralph Earle (1), was born in England. The first known record of William Earle is dated April 2, 1634, when he and his wife Mary sold to James Sands their interest in fourteen acres that came by right of the late Widow Walker, the land having come by marriage of Mary Walker, daughter of the widow, to William Earle. He was admitted a freeman at Bristol, Rhode Island, May II, 1658, and on May 18th he was admitted a freeman of the colony at the general court held at Warwick. On June 8th, in the same year, he was chosen to represent Bristol in the general court of trials at Newport. He was given a grant of land in partnership with William Cory May 1, 1665, provided they maintain a windmill for the use of the town. In 1668 the windmill had been erected. William Earle removed to Dartmouth about 1670, and stayed there several years, his interests there being large. He owned more than two thousand acres from his claims in the original division of the land.


The general assembly for Rhode Island and Providence plantations, for the election of general officers for the colony, was held May 6, 1691, at the house of William Earle, it being removed from New- port by reason of the distemper. He was a deputy from Portsmouth to the general assemblies held at Providence, October 25, 1704, and at Newport May I, 1706, and July 3, 1706. He made a will November 13, 1713, mentioning various legatees. He died January 15, 1715. The children of William Earle were: Mary, born 1655, married John Borden ; William, at Portsmouth, Rhode Island; married Elizabeth : Ralph (see for- ward ) ; Thomas, married Mary Taber; Caleb; mar- ried Mary ; John, born at Portsmouth, mar- ried Mary Wait; Prudence, married Benjamin Durfee.


( 111) Ralph Earle, son of William Earle (2), born in 1660; married Mary (Carr) Hicks, widow of John Hicks, and daughter of Robert Carr, of Newport, Rhode Island. She died the same year that he died, 1757, at Leicester, Massachusetts, and both are buried in the Friends' burying ground at Leicester, where the graves of no less than six gen- erations of their descendants are. The earliest known record of Ralph Earle is to the effect that he had taken the freeman's oath prior to March 24, 1686. In 1688 his father gave to him and his wife the land adjoining the "fall river" at Pocasset, in Freetown, His removal to and occupancy of this land must have occurred soon afterward. He lived there between twenty-five and thirty years, the site of this house being on what is now Bedford street, about ten rods northeast of the northeast corner of the market, which was standing in 1860. The house had a gambrel roof and was destroyed about 1848. He was surveyor of Highways in 1690-92- 96, constable in 1699, and grand juryman in 1700 and 1715. He had the military title of ensign.


In 1716 he went through Providence, Rhode Island, into the interior of Massachusetts, as far as what is now Leicester. On the way, at Grafton, he hired an Indian, named Moses Printer, as guide. Over part of the way there was no path and they blazed their way in order to find. the track back again. In 1717 he removed with part of his family to Leicester and purchased of the original proprie- tors of the town two tracts of land, containing in the aggregate five hundred and fifty acres. One of the tracts included the Mulberry Grove, now or lately owned by George and Billings Mann, and the other was on the west side of Asnebumskit Hill, in what


is now town of Paxton. Its westerly boundary appears to have been the road leading northerly from the Penniman place, a mile east of Paxton Centre. His dwelling house was built about one and one-half miles northeasterly from the present village of Leicester, on Mulberry street, and very near the site of the residence now or lately owned by Benjamin Wilson. It was a one story house with a gambrel roof and was torn down in 1846. In 1721 he was a member of the church that is the Congregational church of Leicester. Within a year a Society of Friends, commonly called Quakers, was organized in the town and he joined it. In 1732 he and his sons William and Robert, with four other men, asked to be released from paying any part of the tax for the support of the minister or ministers established by the laws of this province, alleging that they as Quakers with a conscientious scruple against paying such a tax. The Quaker ineeting house was erected upon land taken from the farm of Ralph Earle and that of his neighbor, Nathaniel Potter, both of whose graves are within a few feet of the site of the old church. Ralph Earle's interest in the society was so great that he made a trip to Philadelphia to visit William Penn, the best known Quaker in the country. Penn at the time was building a house at Pennsburg and it is said told Earle that he would put his initials on the chimney.


He still retained the confidence of his fellow- citizen for he was chosen March 22, 1736, to per- ambulate the line between Leicester and Worcester, with the committee from the other town, for which the town paid the munificent sum of four shillings. It is said that Earle once owned Mount Hope, Rhode Island, but no deed of it can be found on record. "


His will was made May 25, 1750. Among the be- quests to his wife is the negro boy Sharp; and he directs that if the negro be faithful and well be- haved, he should have his freedom at her decease ; if not, he may be sold. But before Earle died he himself manumitted the slave and April 6, 1756, gave him thirty acres of land on the southern de- clivity of Asnebumskit. The negro took the name of Freeborn as a surname later.


Children of Ralph and Mary (Hicks) Earle were : William, born November 12, 1690, married Anna Howard; John, born April 24, 1692, married Widow Sarah Borden; Mary, born October 24, 1693, married Sheffield; Elizabeth, born December 24, 1696, married Robert Lawson; Sarah, born January 18, 1698, married Stephen Manchester; Martha, born December 21, 1700; Patience, born November 24, 1702, married Benjamin Richardson; Ralph, born March 14, 1704; Robert, (see forward) ; Mercy, born March 13, 1708, married Jotham Rice: Ben- jamin, born March 14, 1711, married (first) Abigail Newhall; (second) Deborah (Buffum) Slade.


' (IV) Robert Earle, son of Ralph Earle (3), born March 2, 1706, in Freetown, Massachusetts; married (first) Mary Newhall, born November 5, 1704, daughter of Thomas Newhall, of Leicester, formerly of Malden, Massachusetts, by whom he had ten children. He married (second), March 23, 1756, Hepsibah Johnson, of Worcester, Massachu- setts. He died in 1796. He was eleven years old when his father moved to Leicester, Massachusetts. When he was of age his father gave him two tracts of land, on one of which he erected his house at the corner of Earle and Mulberry streets, and resided there during all his married life. He sold the place to his grandsons, Pliny and Jonah Earle, for three thousand pounds, April II, 1792. In the following year Pliny removed the old dwelling house to the


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opposite side of the road and erected upon the old site a new house, which with some changes and additions is still standing. Here Robert Earle passed the remainder of his days with the family of his grandson Pliny. He had a remarkable con- stitution and retained his vigor and activity to al- most the close of his long life. After the nine- tieth anniversary of his birth he went alone on horseback to visit his sons at Chester, Vermont. On his return he arrived home at night, having rid- den fifty miles during the day. Once at least when at this extreme age he rode, in one day, to Provi- dence, Rhode Island, to attend the yearly meeting of the Society of Friends, to which he belonged. Some years before his death he was injured by a fall from his horse, and was afterward somewhat lame from the effects of the injury received.


The wife of Robert Earle, Mary Newhall, was the granddaughter of Thomas Newhall, the first white child born in Lynn, Massachusetts. He was the son of Thomas Newhall, who died at Lynn, May 25, 1674, and Mary Newhall, who died Septem- ber 25, 1665. Both were emigrants from England. Children of Robert Earle were: Martha, born No- vember 3, 1726, married (first) David Earle ; (sec- ond) Hezekiah Ward; Nathan, born May 12, 1728, married Elizabeth Richardson; Mary, born August 10, 1730, married Jonathan Sargent; Elizabeth, born October 18, 1732, married John Whittemore; George, born March 3, 1735, married Mary Baker ; Thomas, August 27, 1737, married Hannah Wait; Esek, born February 10, 1741, married Mehitable Snow; Ro- bert, born October 10, 1743, married Sarah Hunt; Lydia, born August 15, 1746, married (first) John Wilson; (second) Micah Johnson; (third) Jonas Newton; Marmaduke, (see forward) ; Phebe, born December 22, 1756, married Francis Flagg; Timothy, born March 13, 1759, died in the United States army, November 3, 1777.


(V) Marmaduke Earle, son of Robert Earle (4), born in Leicester, Massachusetts, March 8, 1749; married, 1772, Elizabeth Newton, daughter of Jonas and Rebecca (Richardson) Newton, of Paxton, Massachusetts. She was born June 22, 1755; died November 3, 1840; he died May 29, 1839. He was a farmer and his homestead was on the road to Barre, about a mile northwest of Paxton Centre. He and his wife retained their membership in the Society of Friends during life and were buried in the Friends' burying ground, at Leicester. None of the children were Quakers. Children were : Lucretia, born February 25, 1773, married Samuel Brown; Catherine, born March 3, 1775, married Francis Washburn; Winthrop, born May 5, 1777, died, unmarried in Paxton, January 15, 1836; De- liverance, born November 10, 1779, married Jon- athan Cunningham; Samuel, born December 26, 1781, died June 21, 1787; Amasa, born March II, 1784, married Lucy Howe; Philip, born April 10, 1786, married Patty Barton; Rebecca, born July 21, 1788, married James Thompson; Emory, born Sep- tember 10, 1790, married Eunice Smith; Candace, born November 3, 1792, married William Boynton ; Persis, born December 18, 1794, married William H. Scott; Phebe, born June 22, 1797, married Moses Parkhurst; Elmer, (see forward) ; Homer, born May 6, 1802, died August 30, 1804.


(V1) Elmer Earle, son of Marmaduke Earle (5). born January 6, 1800, in Paxton, Massachusetts ; married Sally Bellows, daughter of Jonas and Martha ( Bridges ) Bellows, born April 19, 1804: died March 30, 1881. They lived in Worcester, Massachusetts, where he died September 2, 1869. Their children were: Louisa, born February 9, 1825, died Septem- ber 26, 1827; Adeline A., born October 26, 1827,


married Charles Newton; Emily D. (see forward) ; Charles G., born April 22, 1833, married Louisa M. Starkweather: Susan M. (see forward) ; Henry M., born July 23, 1841, died September 4, 1845.


(VII) Emily Davis Earle, daughter of Elmer Earle (6), born at Leicester, Massachusetts, August 31, 1830; married July 9, 1851, Seneca M. Richard- son, of whom later. (See Richardson Family under William A. Richardson sketch elsewhere in this work).


(VII) Susan M. Earle, daughter of Elmer Earle* (6), born in North Brookfield, Massachusetts, Au- giist 24, 1838; married Gilbert J. Rugg, of Lancas- ter, Massachusetts, October 20, 1858, at Worcester.


(VIII ) Seneca Merrill Richardson, son of Wyman Richardson (7), was born in Corinth, Vermont, December 5, 1830. For the ancestry of Mr. Richard- son see sketch of his brother, William A. Richard- son. He was educated in the schools at Smithville, where his parents were living during his boyhood. He learned the machinist's trade as his brother and ancestors had done. Both father and grandfather on the Richardson side were expert blacksmiths and machinists. His father worked in various places. He was at Athol, Barre, Petersham and Boston, filling positions where his skill and experience as a mechanic and superintendent were needed.


Seneca Richardson came to Worcester to work for Willard Williams & Company, manufacturers of wood-working machinery, in their machine shop. He went to Fitchburg and worked there in the manufacture of cane goods for five years. Then he took the position of superintendent of the E. C. Cleveland Machine Co., manufacturers of woolen ma- chinery, in the so-called Junction shop. This firm was composed of J. M. Bassett, one of the veteran manufacturers of Worcester, and J. C. Mason, also a well known name in Worcester industriat his- tory. In 1864 he went into business for himself in the firm of Witherby, Rugg & Richardson, to. manufacture wood-working machinery. His part- ners were Luke B. Witherby and Gilbert J. Rugg, both men who had worked in the shops, manufactur- ing wood-working machinery such as the new firm began to make. They began in a shop in the Armsby building, at the corner of Central and Union streets with twenty men. Later they moved to the build- ing on Salisbury street which was built by the older firm of wood-working machine makers, Ball & Will- iams, in 1865. The firm of Ball & Williams formerly employed all three of the partners in the firm of Witherby, Rugg & Richardson. It was founded in 1839 by Thomas E. Daniels in the Court Mills, sold to Deacon Richard Ball and Thomas Rice, who were- succeeded by the firm of Ball & Ballard. This firm became later Ball & Williams, the partners being Richard Ball and Warren Williams, his son-in-law. Mr. Williams retired from business in 1865. The business of Witherby, Rugg & Richardson pros- pered for nearly thirty years, when the death of Mr. Witherby and Mr. Richardson left the business in the hands of Mr. Rugg. It was incorporated in 1901. and Mr. Rugg was elected president of the com- pany-the Witherby, Rugg & Richardson Company- and managed the business until March 1, 1903, when the entire capital stock of the corporation was sold to the Hobbs Manufacturing Company of Worces- ter. Mr. Rugg, then retired from the business, which has since been conducted by the Hobbs Manu- facturing Company as part of their business. Mr. Richardson was highly esteemed as a citizen. He ranked high as a business man, and was acknowl- edged to be one of the best mechanical experts in his line of business. He died August 15, 1899. He was a well known Mason, being a member of the


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Worcester County Commandery, Knights Templar. He was a charter member of Quinsigamond Lodge, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons. He was a Republican and thoroughly posted in publie matters, and interested in public affairs. He represented Ward One for two years in the board of aldermen. He and his wife were life members of the Uni- tarian Association and were leaders, both being delegates to different conventions and active in the councils of the association. He married, July 9, 1851, Emily Davis Earle, daughter of Elmer and Sally ( Bellows) Earle. (See sketch of Earle fam- ily). Her father was born in Paxton, Massachusetts, January 6, 1800; the son of Marmaduke and Eliza- betli (Newton) Earle. Her mother was born in West Boylston, Massachusetts. Mr. and Mrs. Richardson had one child: Hattie Collins, born No- vember 18, 1856; married May 15, 1879, William Henry Brigham and they have three children William Seneca, Bertha Emily, Katharine.


Mrs. Richardson lives in an attractive home at 134 Paine street, Worcester, Massachusetts.


She is a descendant of Ralph Earle, the emigrant, who settled in Rhode Island among the early colonists, and of his grandson, Ralph Earle, the Quaker, who was among the early settlers of Leices- ter. Massachusetts. (See sketeh of the Earle Fam- ily in this work).


JOHN OTIS HALE. Oliver Hale, of Leo- minster, was probably the son of one of the Hales or their descendants who settled in various places in Massachusetts, the most prominent of which was Thomas Hale, of Newbury. He was probably a de- seendant of Robert Hale, of Charlestown, a ear- penter by trade, who was admitted a freeman on May 14, 1634, joined the Charlestown church in 1630 and was a deacon thereof, also a town officer of Charlestown and an ensign in the militia. Subse- quently he took up his residence in Malden, Massa- chusetts. His wife, Joan Hale, bore him the follow- ing children: John, born June 3, 1636, admitted to the church, August 22, 1658, and became a minister of the Beverly church. Mary, born May 17, 1639. Zachariah, born April 3. 1641, died 1643. Samuel, born April 9, 1644. Joanna. Zachariah 2d. Robert Hale died July 16, 1659, and in his will he men- tions wife and children. His widow married Richard Jacobs. Oliver Hale, Leominster, born January I, 1720, in Stowe, Massachusetts, was married twice. His first wife, Hannah (Frost) Hale, bore him sev- eral children. His second wife, Catherine (Boutwell) Hale, born in Sudbury, Massachusetts, October 7, 1732, a member of the same family as the late ex- Governor Boutwell, bore him the following ehil- dren : Thomas, Daniel, Oliver, Calvin, Luther, Han- nah, Catherine, Sarah, Betty. Oliver Hale died May 7. 1799; he was survived by his wife, who passed away July 16, 1821.




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