Historic homes and institutions and genealogical and personal memoirs of Worcester county, Massachusetts, with a history of Worcester society of antiquity, Vol. I, Part 26

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 26

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The committee in charge consisted of John M. Washburn, Ezra Sawyer and Luke Bigelow. Twenty churches were represented at the ordination, August 4, 1847. The council met in Lancaster House and organized with Rev. Joseph Allen, of Northboro, moderator and Rev. T. P. Allen, of Sterling, scribe. When the certificates as to Mr. Bartol's education and Christian standing were read, Rev. Edward Everett Hale, then pastor of the Church of the Unity at Worcester, made the formal motion "that we are satisfied with the above testimonials and that we are ready to proceed with the ordination." Among the clergymen who took part that day Dr. Hale and Mr. Bartol alone survive. The sermon was preached by Rev. Cyrus A. Bartol, brother of the candidate. The Scriptures were read by Dr. Hale. The others who took part in the service were: Rev. Joseph Allen, Rev. C. T. Thayer, of Beverly; Rev. Alonzo Hill, of Worcester; Rev. Mr. Frothingham, of Salem.

Mr. Bartol came to what his friend Rev. Mr. Marvin called a "wealthy and respectable" congre- gation and the passing years have surely enhanced both those qualities. The history of the First Church of Christ of Lancaster dates to 1653 when the min- istry of Rev. Joseph Rowlandson began. His pas- torate was terminated by the destruction of the town by the Indians in King Philip's war, 1675. Rev. John Whiting, who was minister from 1690 to 1697, met his death at the hands of hostile In- dians, and his successor, who was pastor from 1701 to 1704, met a similar fate. Rev. John Prentice be- gan to preach in 1705 and died in 1748, the year he was succeeded by Rev. Timothy Harrington. whose ministry continued until 1795. Rev. Nathaniel Thayer was his colleague about two years and his successor as minister. His remarkable record as minister, lasting until the summer of 1840, is told in a sketch of his life elsewhere in this work. The next pastor and predecessor of Mr. Bartol was

WORCESTER COUNTY

Rev. Edmund H. Sears, who was installed December 23, 1840, but was obliged to resign on account of ill health, and his work in the parish ended April 1, 1847.

The present church edifice was erected in 1816. The architect was Charles Bulfinch, who is known the world over as the designer of the Massachusetts State House and of the Capitol at Washington. Rev. A. P. Marvin, who was for some years the orthodox minister at Lancaster, wrote of Mr. Bartol many years ago : "The present pastor, living in times of change, has seen, with rare exceptions, every pulpit, of every denomination, in the region round, occupied by suc- cessive ministers, whose power for usefulness has been, in many cases, weakened by the fickleness of the people. The record is honorable to the church, and to the parish and the town with which it has been connected, during nearly seven generations of men. The church was in connection with the town as a parish from 1653 till the Second Parish was formed, when the church and the First Precinct were united. When Sterling became a town, Lan- caster resumed its parochial functions, which con- tinued till near the close of the ministry of Dr. Thayer."

At the close of twenty-five years, August 4, 1872, the anniversary of his pastorate, a reception was given Mr. Bartol and his wife in the town hall and was largely attended not only by his own parishioners but by all his townspeople and many from neighboring towns and the distance. Among the speakers were Rev. A. P. Marvin, the pastor of the Evangelical Church; Rev. E. H. Sears, the predecessor of Mr. Bartol; the venerable Rev. B. Whittemore and Mr. Bartol himself. An even more elaborate celebration of his fortieth anniversary was held August 4, 1887. When Mr. Bartol completed his fiftieth year he was given such an ovation and greeting by the people of his parish, town and of the whole denomination as few men ever live to receive. As Dr. Hale said, and Dr. Hale was one of the central figures of the celebration because he himself was one of the ministers in charge of Mr. Bartol's ordination fifty years before, "there were more hydrangeas in the church today than there were in the whole state of Massachusetts fifty years ago." Mr. and Mrs. Bartol were given a most de- lightful and hearty reception in the Thayer Memorial Chapel after the more formal services in the church. Dr. Edward A. Horton was one of the speakers. Among the gifts lavished upon the good minister that day were a silver loving cup from past and present members of the Worcester Ministerial Asso- ciation, of which he was a veteran member, and a magnificent silver service, suitably engraved, from his parish. A poem for the occasion was written by Mrs. Julia A. Carney, of Galesburg, Illinois. On this occasion the Springfield Republican said: "While extremely liberal in his religious views, Dr. Bartol's singularly cordial and sincere nature has won the loving regard of the ministers of all other denomina- tions. The old Unitarian Church designed by Charles Bulfinch is one of the landmarks of Wor- cester county. People of all denominations filled it in Dr. Bartol's honor."

Of Mr. Bartol's service to the public Mr. Henry S. Nourse, the historian, said : "His power for good has not been limited by parish confines, nor re- stricted to the stated religions teachings of his order. The clergy in Lancaster had ever been held the proper supervisors of the schools, and upon his com- ing Mr. Bartol was at once placed in the school board and was annually re-chosen, until, having given faithful service, usually as chairman of the

board, during twenty-one years, he felt constrained to ask relief from this onerous duty.

"From the establishment of the public library, he has always stood at the head of the town's commit- tee, entrusted with its management, and in its incep- tion and increase, his refined taste, rare knowledge of books and sound literary judgment have been invaluable. With talent and scholarship that in- vited him to a much wider field of service, he has clung lovingly to his quiet country parish, making it the centre of his efforts and aspirations. Ile is an enthusiastic lover of nature in all her moods, a discriminating admirer of beauty in art, earnest in his soul convictions, although averse to sectarian con- troversy-and so tender of heart as to seem char- itable to all human weakness, save that he is intol- erant of intolerance."

It was Mr. Bartol who expressed the unanimous sentiments of the people of Lancaster by the follow- ing resolution adopted at a legal town meeting May 20, 1865: "Whereas, on the fifteenth day of April, 1865, Abraham Lincoln, the venerated and beloved president of the United States, was by an assassin, suddenly assaulted and slain, the blow by which he fell being aimed not only at his life, but through him at the life of the nation.

"Resolved, that in recording our tribute to the memory of the late president with profound sorrow for his loss, we do all beyond all party pre-posses- sions, own and bless in him an unselfishness in dis- position and singleness of purpose, a gentleness, humanity and benevolence under great provocation, with an honesty of intention, an ardent patriotism, a fidelity to duty, and a growing mastery of the cir- cumstances of his position, which enabled him with the blessing of God, to fulfill and bring to a success- ful completion, a work almost unprecedented for dif- ficulty ; that in his removal at the moment in which his labors were being crowned with the triumph of national authority and the evident approach of the blessings of peace, we see the completion of a career which the nation will ever look back to with thank- fulness, and hold in tender and affectionate remem- brance."

One of the most interesting homes in a town where all the homes are interesting and some re- markable for artistic and beautiful features, is the low, quaint, rambling structure in which Mr. Bartol lives. It stands back modestly from the highway, shielded by trees and shrubbery, with ample grounds where the flowers seem to delight in adding to the decorations of a fascinating place. Inside the house there are treasures of art and literature, birds and flowers.

Mr. Bartol is a Republican in politics. He belongs to few organizations outside the church. He has been since graduation a member of the scholars' fraternity, the Phi Beta Kappa. He re- ceived the degree of D. D. from his alma mater (Brown University) in 1892.

He married, June, 1856, Elizabeth Washburn, the daughter of John M. Washburn, of Lancaster. Their children are: George, born May 16, 1857, married, January 12, 1898, Nellie Holt, and they have two children : Eleanor, born October 31, 1901, Elizabeth, born November 7, 1902; Anna, born May 5, 1859, died at Manchester, Massachusetts, Angust, 1880; Elizabeth Washburn, born April 10, 1861, married, July 29, 1884, Harold Parker, and they have three children-Bartol Parker, born June 7, 1885, Eliza- beth Parker, born September, 1886, Cornelia Conway Parker, born May 21, 1894. ( See sketch of Parker family of Lancaster.) Dr. John Washburn, born January 10, 1864, graduate of Harvard College,

WORCESTER COUNTY

1887, married, October 2, 1900, Charlotte Hemenway Cabot, and they have three children: Janet, born July 13, 1902, Dorothy, born December 15, 1903, Ann, born December 21, 1905; Mary Washburn, born August 2, 1867, resides at home with her par- ents ; Dr. Edward Francis Washburn, born in Man- chester, September 5, 1874, graduate of Harvard, 1896.

CHARLES AUGUSTUS CHASE. William Chase (I), from whom Charles Augustus Chase, of Worcester, is directly descended, came from Eng- land with Winthrop in 1630. The surname Chase is undoubtedly derived from the French Chasser (to hunt). The ancestral seat in England was at Chesham in Rockinghamshire, through which runs a rapidly flowing brook or river, the Chess.

Thomas Chase and 'Aquila Chase, who settled at Hampton, New Hampshire, in 1639, were broth- ers, and were perhaps cousins of William Chase, the first comer. The record of Rev. John Eliot, the Indian Apostle, of "such as adjoyned themselves to this church," the First Church of Roxbury, has this entry : "William Chase, he came with the first com- pany, bringing with him his wife Mary and his son William." The maiden name of his wife is not known. The son William was about seven years old at the time of migration. The father applied for admission as a freeman, October 19, 1630. He was a town officer at Roxbury. He served against the Narragansetts in 1645. He removed to Yar- mouth, Massachusetts, in 1638, and died there. His will, dated May 4, 1659, states that he was aged. It was proved May 13, 1659, hence his death occurred in May of that year. He bequeathed to his wife Mary and two sons, Benjamin and William (see N. E. Hist. Reg. V. 388). His daughter Mary was buried at Barnstable, Massachusetts, October 28, 1652. The early records of the town of Yarmouth were destroyed by fire, so that it is impossible to give the dates of birth and death of all the children.

(II) William Chase, son of William Chase (1), was born in England about 1623, if he was seven at the time of the migration. He removed with his father's family to Yarmouth in 1638. He died there in 1685. It is impossible to give the name of his wife or the dates of birth of his children; it is known, however, that he had eight children, of whom William was the eldest.

(III) William Chase, eldest son of William Chase (2), was born in Duxbury, Massachusetts. He mar- ried for his first wife Hannah Sherman, of the stock to which Roger Sherman and General W. T. Sher- man belonged. His second wife was Priscilla Perry. By the first marriage he had five children, of whom the third was Isaac.

(IV) Isaac Chase, third child of William Chase (3), married (first), February 10, 1704. Elizabeth Blethon, of Salem, by whom he had five children ; married (second) Mary Fowler, by whom he had seven1.

(V) Isaac Chase, third son of Isaac Chase (4). married, November 13. 1729, Amy Anthony; mar- ried (second) Elizabeth who survived him. Isaac and Amy Chase had eight children, of whom the eldest was Anthony Chase.

(VI) Anthony Chase, son of Isaac Chase (5), was born at Swanzey, Massachustts, February 21, 1832 : married (first) Katherine, daughter of Timothy and Bridget Sewell, and lived at Mendon, Massachusetts. lle died May 3, 1817, leaving a widow, Mary Chase. Anthony and Katherine Chase had eight children, of whom the seventh was Israel.

(VII) Israel Chase, son of Anthony Chase (6), was born September 13, 1760; married, February 1,

1787, (Caroline) Matilda Butterworth, daughter of Noah and Dorcas Butterworth, of Smithfield, Rhode Island. They lived in Mendon, Paxton and Worcester and had six children, of whom Anthony was the third.

(VIII) Anthony Chase, third son of Israel Chase (7), was born at Paxton, Massachusetts, June 16, 1791 ; married (first), June 2, 1819, Lydia Earle, daughter of Pliny and Patience Earle, of Leicester. (See Ralph Earle and his descendants, p. 215.) Married (second), April 19, 1854, Hannah Greene, daughter of Daniel and Phebe. Greene, of East Greenwich, Rhode Island. In early youth Mr. Chase lost his father, and in 1816 entered into mercantile business in Worcester with John Milton Earle, his future brother-in-law, and became one of the owners of the Massachusetts Spy, continuing as such from 1823 to 1835. In 1829 he was agent for the Wor- cester & Providence Boating Company, formed to operate the newly opened Blackstone canal, and was soon afterward appointed collector of the canal reve- nue. In March, 1831, he was elected county treas- urer and held the office for thirty-four years. In 1832 Mr. Chase was chosen secretary of the Wor- cester Mutual Fire Insurance Company, and in 1852 was its president, an office which he held until his death, August 4, 1879. He was one of the founders and the first secretary of the Worcester Lyceum in 1829, and shaped the Worcester County Mechanics' Association in its infancy, drawing up its constitu- tion and by-laws with his own hand in 1841; was one of the corporators of the Central Bank of Wor- cester on 1828; was for many years treasurer of the Worcester Agricultural Society; and for a long period director in the Citizens' Bank of Worcester ; was trustee and vice-president of the Worcester County Institution for Savings.

Mr. Chase took great interest in the public schools, often serving on the school committee, and was an alderman in the early days of the city, but frequently declined public offices on account of the confining nature of his regular vocation. He gave his three sons an education at Harvard College. He was a member of the Society of Friends, holding the office of elder in that body. Most of the children of his ancestor, William Chase (II), joined the So- ciety of Friends, and their descendants in great measure have been members of that religious body. Some of the family in Rhode Island and southeast- ern Massachusetts began about a century ago to write the name Chace, but Chase is the accepted spelling. He died August 4, 1879, aged eighty- eight years.

Lydia Earle was descended from Ralph Earle, of whom a sketch is given elsewhere in this work. The children of Anthony and Lydia (Earle) Chase, all born in Worcester. were: Pliny Earle, born August 18, 1820; Lucy, December 1. 1822; Thomas, June 16, 1827; Eliza Earle, October 8, 1829; Charles Augustus, see forward; Sarah E., May 29, 1836. The children of Anthony and Hannah (Greene) Chase were: Emily G., married Joseph Russel Mar- ble (see sketch of George Russell Marble of Web- ster) : Frederick Anthony died young.

( IX) Charles Augustus Chase, fifth child of Anthony Chase (8), was born in Worcester. Massa- chusetts, September 9, 1833. in a house on Salisbury street, where the armory now stands. His educa- tion began with the infant school, in a small build- ing that stood at the northerly end of Summer street. Hle graduated from the Thomas street gram- mar school in 1845 into the "Classical and English High School" where he remained five years, taking a post-graduate course in mathematics. While in the high school he printed a juvenile paper, "The

PERIC

WORCESTER COUNTY

Humble Bee." In 1851 he entered Harvard College and was graduated from that institution in 1856, receiving the degree of A. M. in 1858. He joined the staff of the Boston Daily Advertiser in 1855, and filled the position of reporting the various de- partments and of office editor for seven years. In 1862 he made a five months' tour of Europe and upon his return again took up his residence in Worcester, and in the autumn of 1864 was elected treasurer of Worcester county, succeeding his father, who had held the office for a third of a century. He was re-elected and served altogether eleven years as treasurer. In 1875 was elected on an inde- pendent ticket as register of deeds, serving in 1876 -centennial year-was soon afterward elected sec- retary of the board of trade, and in 1879 was treas- urer and manager of the Worcester Telephone Com- pany.

Mr. Chase has for more than twenty-five years been one of the pricipal officers of the largest sav- ings bank in Massachusetts outside of Boston, hav- ing been elected November 10, 1879, treasurer of the Worcester County Institution of Savings, and suc- ceeding Hon. Stephen Salisbury in 1904 as its presi- dent. This savings bank was incorporated Febru- ary 8, 1828. Samuel Jennison, the cashier of the Worcester Bank, was the first treasurer, and until recently the president of the Worcester Bank, has also been president of the Worcester County Insti- tution for Savings. The interests of the two banks were mutual. The second treasurer of the Insti- tution was Charles A. Hamilton, whom Mr. Chase succeeded. At the time Mr. Chase became presi- dent of the bank. the deposits amounted to about $20,000.000. In 1905 the bank bought the lot at the corner of Main and Foster streets, and began to build its own home, a handsome and artistic structure. It should be stated also that these two institutions, the Worcester Bank and the Worcester County Institution for Savings were the pioneer banking institutions of Worcester county. Mr. Chase was a director of the Citizens National Bank from 1880 to 1889; has been a director of the Wor- cester National Bank since January, 1888; of the (Worcester) Merchants and Farmers Fire Insur- ance Company since 1883, and was vice-president of the Worcester Art Society. Mr. Chase was secre- tary of the Worcester Lyceum Association from 1863 to 1866, vice-president 1862-8, on the lecture committee from 1866 to 1880, and was a director of the Free Public Library of Worcester from 1866 to 1874. He has been for several years treasurer of the Memorial Hospital and recording secretary of the American Antiquarian Society, and is a member of the New England Historic Genealogical Society; the Colonial Society of Massachusetts : the Bunker Hill Monument Association and the Wor- cester Society of Antiquity. He is also vice-presi- dent of the Home for Aged Men; president of the North End Street Railway Company, and presi- dent of the Worcester Harvard Club.

Mr. Chase has written many papers and pamphlets relating to the history of Worcester. In 1879 Mr. Chase wrote under contract with C. F. Jewett & Company. of Boston. a history of Worcester for their history of Worcester county, in which much valuable matter, the result of original research was preserved. For the "History of Worcester County," published by J. W. Lewis & Company, in 1889, Mr. Chase contributed a chapter on the newspaper press. He also prepared an historical sketch of the Wor- cester Bank, which was published in book form to celebrate the centennial of that institution in 1901.

He married in April, 1863, Mary Theresa Clark,

of Boston, and they had two children: Mary Alice, married Thomas Hovey Gage, Jr., of Worcester; and Mand Eliza, who lives with her father.

HENRY SALEM PRATT. The subject of the following sketch is of one of Worcester's up-to-date business factors. His financial success has been re- inarkable and the element entering into his life and general business career are indeed possessed by many another man, but rarely applied and managed to the success he has wrought out by them.

Mr. Pratt, the eldest son of Salem and Sally (Hobbs) Pratt, was born November 18, 1836, at Charlton, Massachusetts. By referring to his family genealogy it is learned that his grandfather, Cap- tain Joseph Pratt, was an officer in the war of 1812. Captain Pratt's grandfather was a full blooded Indian of Maine, traces of whose noble blood run down through the generations, giving courage and honor to the descendants. Mr. Pratt traces his genealogy through his mother, Sally Hobbs, whose mother was an Adams, to the famous Adams family, from which President John Adams and President John Quincy Adams were descended, and through them the ancestry has been traced back to the Emperor Charlemagne. This noble strain has never died out, and Sally Hobbs embodied the noblest qualities of womanhood, and was a supporter and guiding influence to their children as long as she lived. She has recently died at the age of eighty- seven, July 8, 1904.

When Henry S. Pratt was quite young his par- ents removed to Charlton, where he remained and attended the schools of his neighborhood until he was sixteen years of age, working a part of the time with his father at bottoming boots and shoes. In 1853 we find him coming to Worcester and at first he worked in a shoe store for his board, but such a character could not long remain at the bot- tom of life's ladder. After two years clerking in a dry goods store, he. in 1855. became salesman in the clothing store of A. P. Ware. The years roll by and we find him a partner in the concern. In 1866 there was a branch house formed, under style of Ware & Pratt, which today have one of the most complete clothing stores in the commonwealth. In 1857 they commenced to manufacture clothing for the retail trade and it has come to be among the most extensive in the state. William W. Johnson became a partner after Mr. Ware's retirement in 1870, also Edward T. Wardwell, and January 1, 1888, a stock company was organized with Mr. John- son as president. Mr. Pratt as treasurer and Charles E. Black as clerk. The firm of Ware & Pratt conducted business until January 1, 1869, when it was changed to Ware, Pratt & Co., and remained so until January 1, 1888, when it was changed to a stock company.

Aside from his interests in this good business firm, he became interested in numerous financial institutions. In 1887 he became a director in the Citizens' National Bank and in 1891 its vice-presi- dent. Upon the decease of Hon. Samuel Winslow. the president, in the autumn of 1894, Mr. Pratt was chosen to fill the vacancy, and he served to the satisfaction of the stockholders until the bank was merged with the Worcester Trust Company. He is also connected with the Mechanics Savings Bank of Worcester, and is one of its trustees. He bought the Hillcroft farm, where he has crected a charm- ing residence. The view is among the most romantic of any within the varied and extensive as well as historic environments of Worcester city. He also built the "Chadwick Block." on Main street. the same deriving the name from the maternal side of

WORCESTER COUNTY

Mr. Pratt's wife's people. It should here be added that this block stands on the exact spot where Mr. Pratt commenced his career by working for his board until some better opening presented itself to him.

Like every other good American citizen, Mr. Pratt appreciates the right of suffrage, and believ- ing the Republican party comes the nearest to main- taining a good form of government he casts his vote with it. While he is a strong party man, yet he prefers others to hold the public offices, while he labors in other fields and remains a law-abiding citizen of the best type. In religious belief he is a Unitarian and attends the First Church.

His friends are legion. He has belonged to various societies, including the Hancock and Com- monwealth Clubs, where he was a popular and high- ly esteemed member. He is the active manager of the Ware-Pratt Company. Not unlike other well rounded characters, Mr. Pratt established for him- self a home influence by marrying Melora Fletcher, December 24, 1857, and to her he acknowledges much of the happiness of his life. The career of such a man should be a model for the rising young men of Worcester, who may be sons of parents unable to start them in business. Mr. Pratt com- menced unaided, and by virtue of industry and economy steadily made his way to the front rank in the business circle of Worcester men. He is kind, genial, temperate and progressive, all essen- tial elements in a successful life.

WILLIAM H. HOBBS. Josiah Hobbs (1), the pioneer ancestor of William H. Hobbs and Horace Hobbs of Worcester, is also the progenitor of prac- tically all the families in New England of this sur- name. He was born in England, in 1649, and came to America in the "Arabella," Richard Sprague, master, leaving Gravesend, May 27, 1671, arriving in Boston in July. For the next eighteen years he was a resident of Boston. In 1690 he removed to Lexington, Massachusetts, then the west precinct of Cambridge, and there he lived during the re- mainder of his life, except for two years spent in Woburn, in the western part, now Burlington, Massachusetts. In 1691 he was a subscriber to the building fund of the first meeting house in Lexing- ton. In 1692-3 he was among the contributors to the support of Rev. Mr. Esterbrook, the first minister there. He and his wife, Tabitha, were baptized in August, 1699. In September of the same year their children: Josiah, Tabitha and Mary Hobbs were baptized; in October, 1700, Matthew and Susan Hobbs were baptized; January 8, 1710, Ebenezer was baptized, and April 13, 1712, Tabitha. Of his seven children none had families, according to the records, except Josiah. Josiah Hobbs ( father) died May 30. 1741, aged ninety-two years. He married in 1683.

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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 26

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